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〃i　wonder；　is　that　an　island　or　do　we　join　on　to　it　presently？〃　said　lucy。

〃dont　know；〃　said　peter　and　they　all　plodded　on　in　silence。

the　shore　that　they　were　walking　on　drew　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　opposite　　shore；　and　as　they　came　round　each　promontory　the　children　expected　to　find　the　place　　where　the　two　joined。　but　in　this　they　were　disappointed。　they　came　to　some　rocks　which　　they　had　to　climb　and　from　the　top　they　could　see　a　fairway　ahead　and　…　〃oh　bother！〃　　said　edmund；　〃its　no　good。　we　shant　be　able　to　get　to　those　other　woods　at　all。　were　　on　an　island！鈥�

it　was　true。　at　this　point　the　channel　between　them　and　the　opposite　coast　　was　only　about　thirty　or　forty　yards　wide；　but　they　could　now　see　that　this　was　its　　narrowest　place。　after　that；　their　own　coast　bent　round　to　the　right　again　and　they　could　see　open　　sea　between　it　and　the　mainland。　it　was　obvious　that　they　had　already　e　much　more　than　　halfway　round　the　island。

〃look！〃　said　lucy　suddenly。　〃whats　that？〃　she　pointed　to　a　long；　silvery；　　snake…like　thing　that　lay　across　the　beach。

〃a　stream！　a　stream！〃　shouted　the　others；　and；　tired　as　they　were；　they　　lost　no　time　in　clattering　down　the　rocks　and　racing　to　the　fresh　water。　they　knew　that　the　　stream　would　be　better　to　drink　farther　up；　away　from　the　beach；　so　they　went　at　once　to　　the　spot　where　it　came　out　of　the　wood。　the　trees　were　as　thick　as　ever；　but　the　stream　　had　made　itself　a　deep　course　between　high　mossy　banks　so　that　by　stooping　you　could　follow　　it　up　in　a　sort　of　tunnel　of　leaves。　they　dropped　on　their　knees　by　the　first　brown；　　dimply　pool　and　drank　and　drank；　and　dipped　their　faces　in　the　water；　and　then　dipped　their　　arms　in　up　to　the　elbow。

〃now；〃　said　edmund；　〃what　about　those　sandwiches？鈥�

〃oh；　hadnt　we　better　have　them？〃　said　susan。　〃we　may　need　them　far　worse　　later　on。鈥�

〃i　do　wish；〃　said　lucy；　〃now　that　were　not　thirsty；　we　could　go　on　feeling　　as　not…hungry　as　we　did　when　we　were　thirsty。鈥�

〃but　what　about　those　sandwiches？〃　repeated　edmund。　〃theres　no　good　saving　　them　till　they　go　bad。　youve　got　to　remember　its　a　good　deal　hotter　here　than　in　　england　and　weve　been　carrying　them　about　in　pockets　for　hours。〃　so　they　got　out　the　　two　packets　and　divided　them　into　four　portions；　and　nobody　had　quite　enough；　but　it　　was　a　great　deal　better　than　nothing。　then　they　talked　about　their　plans　for　the　next　meal。　　lucy　wanted　to　go　back　to　the　sea　and　catch　shrimps；　until　someone　pointed　out　that　they　　had　no　nets。

edmund　said　they　must　gather　gulls　eggs　from　the　rocks；　but　when　they　came　　to　think　of　it　they　couldnt　remember　having　seen　any　gulls　eggs　and　wouldnt　be　able　　to　cook　them　if　they　found　any。　peter　thought　to　himself　that　unless　they　had　some　　stroke　of　luck　they　would　soon　be　glad　to　eat　eggs　raw；　but　he　didnt　see　any　point　in　saying　　this　out　loud。

susan　said　it　was　a　pity　they　had　eaten　the　sandwiches　so　soon。　one　or　two　　tempers　very　nearly　got　lost　at　this　stage。　finally　edmund　said：　　　

〃look　here。　theres　only　one　thing　to　be　done。　we　must　explore　the　wood。　　hermits　and　knights…errant　and　people　like　that　always　manage　to　live　somehow　if　　theyre　in　a　forest。

they　find　roots　and　berries　and　things。鈥�

〃what　sort　of　roots？〃　asked　susan。

〃i　always　thought　it　meant　roots　of　trees；〃　said　lucy。

〃e　on；〃　said　peter；　〃ed　is　right。　and　we　must　try　to　do　something。　and　　itll　be　better　than　going　out　into　the　glare　and　the　sun　again。鈥�

so　they　all　got　up　and　began　to　follow　the　stream。　it　was　very　hard　work。　　they　had　to　stoop　under　branches　and　climb　over　branches；　and　they　blundered　through　　great　masses　of　stuff　like　rhododendrons　and　tore　their　clothes　and　got　their　feet　wet　　in　the　stream；　and　still　there　was　no　noise　at　all　except　the　noise　of　the　stream　and　the　　noises　they　were　making　themselves。　they　were　beginning　to　get　very　tired　of　it　when　they　　noticed　a　delicious　smell；　and　then　a　flash　of　bright　colour　high　above　them　at　the　　top　of　the　right　bank。

〃i　say！〃　exclaimed　lucy。　〃i　do　believe　thats　an　apple　tree。鈥�

it　was。　they　panted　up　the　steep　bank；　forced　their　way　through　some　　brambles；　and　found　themselves　standing　round　an　old　tree　that　was　heavy　with　large　　yellowishgolden　apples　as　firm　and　juicy　as　you　could　wish　to　see。

〃and　this　is　not　the　only　tree；〃　said　edmund　with　his　mouth　full　of　apple。　　〃look　there…and　there。鈥�

〃why；　there　are　dozens　of　them；〃　said　susan；　throwing　away　the　core　of　her　　first　apple　and　picking　her　second。　〃this　must　have　been　an　orchard　…　long；　long　ago；　　before　the　place　went　wild　and　the　wood　grew　up。鈥�

〃then　this　was　once　an　inhabited　island；〃　said　peter。

〃and　whats　that？〃　said　lucy；　pointing　ahead。

〃by　jove；　its　a　wall；〃　said　peter。　〃an　old　stone　wall。鈥�

pressing　their　way　between　the　laden　branches　they　reached　the　wall。　it　was　　very　old；　and　broken　down　in　places；　with　moss　and　wallflowers　growing　on　it；　but　it　was　　higher　than　all　but　the　tallest　trees。　and　when　they　came　quite　close　to　it　they　found　　a　great　arch　which　must　once　have　had　a　gate　in　it　but　was　now　almost　filled　up　with　the　　largest　of　all　the　apple　trees。　they　had　to　break　some　of　the　branches　to　get　past；　and　　when　they　had　done　so　they　all　blinked　because　the　daylight　became　suddenly　much　　brighter。　they　found　themselves　in　a　wide　open　place　with　walls　all　round　it。　in　here　　there　were　no　trees；　only　level　grass　and　daisies；　and　ivy；　and　grey　walls。　it　was　a　bright；　　secret；　quiet　place；　　

and　rather　sad；　and　all　four　stepped　out　into　the　middle　of　it；　glad　to　be　　able　to　straighten　their　backs　and　move　their　limbs　freely。

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CHAPTER　TWO

銆�灏忚�磘…xt澶╁爞銆�　　銆�
the　ancient　treasure　house　　〃this　wasnt　a　garden；〃　said　susan　presently。　〃it　was　a　castle　and　this　　must　have　been　the　courtyard。鈥�

〃i　see　what　you　mean；〃　said　peter。　〃yes。　that　is　the　remains　of　a　tower。　　and　there　is　what　used　to　be　a　flight　of　steps　going　up　to　the　top　of　the　walls。　and　look　at　　those　other　steps　…　the　broad；　shallow　ones　…　going　up　to　that　doorway。　it　must　have　been　the　　door　into　the　great　hall。鈥�

〃ages　ago；　by　the　look　of　it；〃　said　edmund。

〃yes；　ages　ago；〃　said　peter。　〃i　wish　we　could　find　out　who　the　people　were　　that　lived　in　this　castle；　and　how　long　ago。鈥�

〃it　gives　me　a　queer　feeling；〃　said　lucy。

〃does　it；　lu？〃　said　peter；　turning　and　looking　hard　at　her。　〃because　it　　does　the　same　to　me。　it　is　the　queerest　thing　that　has　happened　this　queer　day。　i　wonder　　where　we　are　and　what　it　all　means？鈥�

while　they　were　talking　they　had　crossed　the　courtyard　and　gone　through　the　　other　doorway　into　what　had　once　been　the　hall。　this　was　now　very　like　the　　courtyard；　for　the　roof　had　long　since　disappeared　and　it　was　merely　another　space　of　grass　　and　daisies；　except　that　it　was　shorter　and　narrower　and　the　walls　were　higher。　across　　the　far　end　there　was　a　kind　of　terrace　about　three　feet　higher　than　the　rest。

〃i　wonder；　was　it　really　the　hall？〃　said　susan。　〃what　is　that　terrace　kind　　of　thing？鈥�

〃why；　you　silly；〃　said　peter　（who　had　bee　strangely　excited）；　〃dont　you　　see？　that　was　the　dais　where　the　high　table　was；　where　the　king　and　the　great　lords