CHAPTERTEHESOUTHERNMARCH
&heyhadriddenforseveralhoursdownthevalley，itwideandtheycouldseewhatwasaheadofthem。Theriverwhichtheyhadbeenfollowingherejoinedabroaderriver，widea，whitheirlefttht，towardtheeast。Beyondthisnewriveradelightfultryrosegentlyinlowhills，ridgebeye，totheaihttherewereroaeortwoofthemwithsnowgtotheledges。Totheleft，pine-cladslarres，achedawayasfarastheeyecouldreach。HeakeoutMhtaheadthemesanktoawoodedsaddlewhiustbethepassfromArdintoNarnia。
“Broo-hoo-horeenNorth!”neighedBree:ahelowerhillslookedgreenerahananythingthatAravisandShasta，withtheirsouthern-bredeyes，hadeverimagisroseastheyclattereddower's-meetofthetworivers。
&ern-flowingriver，fromthehighermountaierherange，wasfartooswiftandtoobrokenidsforthemtothinkofswimmingit;butaftersomegabout，upanddowheyfoundaplaceshallowenoughtowade。Theroaraer，thegreatswirlagainstthehorses'fetlocks，thecairaingdragon-flies，filledShastawithastra。
“Friends，weareinArd!”saidBreeproudlyashesplashedandedhiswayoutohernbank。“Ithinkthatriverwe'vejustcrossediscalledthe>
“Ihopewe'reintime，”murmuredHwin。
&heybegangoingup，slowlyandzigzaggingagooddeal，forthehillsweresteep。Itark-liketrywithnoroadsorhousesinsight。Scatteredtrees，hioughtobeaforest，wereeverywhere。Shasta，whohadlivedallhislifeinanalmrassland，hadneverseensomanyorsomanykinds。Ifyouhadbeenthereyouwouldprobablyhaveknown（hedidn't）thathewasseeingoaks，beeches，silverbirches，rowans，anuts。Rabbitsscurriedawayiionastheyadvandpresentlytheysawawholeherdoffalloffamorees。
“Isn'titsimplyglorious!”saidAravis。
AtthefirstridgeShastaturhesaddleaherewasnosignofTashbaa，ubythenarrowgreencrackwhichtheyhadtravelleddowhehorizon。
“Hullo!”hesaidsuddenly。“What'sthat!”
“What'swhat?”saidBree，turninground。HwinandAravisdidthesame。
“That，”saidShasta，pointing。“Itlookslikesmoke。Isitafire?”
“Sand-storm，Ishouldsay，”saidBree。
“Notmudtoraiseit，”saidAravis。
“Oh!”exclaimedHwin。“Look!Therearethingsflashinginit。Look!They'rehelmets—andarmor。Andit'smoving:movingthis>
“ByTash!”saidAravis。“It'sthearmy。It'sRabadash。”
“Ohcourseitis，”saidHwin。“JustwhatIwasafraidof。Quick!WemustgettoA。”Andwithoutanotherwordshewhiskedroundandbegangallopingossedhisheadanddidthesame。
“eon，Bree，eon，”yelledAravisoverhershoulder。
TheracewasverygruellingfortheHorses。Astheytoppedeachridgetheyfoundanothervalleyandanebeyondit;andthoughtheykheyweregoinginmoreorlesstherightdireoonekneastoAnvard。FromthetopofthesedridgeShastalookedba。Insteadofadust-cloudwelloutihenowsawablaass，ratherlikeants，onthefarbankoftheWindingArrow。Theyweredoubtlesslookingforaford。
“They'reontheriver!”heyelledwildly。
“Quick!Quick!”shoutedAravis。“Wemightaswellallifwedon'treavardintime。Gallallop。Rememberyou'reawar-horse。”
ItwasallShastacoulddotopreventhimselffromshoutingoutsimilarinstrus;buthethought，“Thepoorchap'sdoingallhealready，”aongue。AainlybothH，ifnotalltheycould，alltheythoughttheycould;whiotquitethesamething。BreehadcaughtupwithHwihunderedsidebysideovertheturf。Itdidn'tlookasifHwincouldpossiblykeepitupmuger。
Atthatmomenteveryone'sfeelielyalteredbyasouwasheyhadbeeohear—thenoiseofhoofsandjinglingarmor，mixed，perhaps，withele-cries。YetShastakowasthesamesnarlingroarhehadheardthatmoonlitheyfirstmetAravisandHwitoo。Hiseyesgleamedredandhisearslayflatbahisskull。AndBreenowdiscoveredthathehadnotreallybeengoingasfast——ashecould。Shastafeltthegeatoheywerereallygoingallout。IheywerewellaheadofHwin。
“It'snhtShasta。“Ididthinkwe'dbesafefromlionshere!”
Helookedoverhisshoulder。Everythingwasonlytetawsbodylowtothegroureakingacrossthelawntoatreewhenastrangedoghasgotintothegardehem。Anditwasnearereverysedhalfsed。
Helainandsawsomethingwhichhedidnottakeihinkabout。Theirwaywasbarredbyasmoothgreenwallabouttehigh。Inthemiddleofthatwallthereen。Inthemiddleofthegatewaystoodatallmaohisbarefeet，inarobecoloredlikeautumnleaves，leaninghtstaff。Hisbeardfellalmosttohisknees。