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CHAPTER NINE ACROSS THE DESERT（第3页）

&is!”

Therewasnomistakingitnow.Ahead，andalittletht，theree:aslopedownwardandhummocksofroeachside.TheHorseswerefartootiredtospeakbuttheyswungroundtowarditandiheywereehegully.Atfirstitwasworseihadbeenouti，fortherewasabreathlessstuffiherockywallsandlessmoonlight.Theslopeuedsteeplydownwardsandtheroeitherhaheheightofcliffs.Theomeetvegetation—pricklycactus-likeplantsandcrassofthekindthatwouldprickyers.Soonthehorse-hooeadofsand.Roundeverybendofthevalley—andithadmaheylookedeagerlyforwater.TheHorseswereheerengthnow，andHwin，stumblingandpanting;waslaggingbehiheywerealmostindespairbeforeatlasttheycametoalittlemuddinessandatierthroughsofteraergrass.Aricklebecameabrook，andthebrookbecameastreamwithbushesoneachside，areambecameariverandtherecame（aftermoredisappoihanIcouldpossiblydescribe）—amomea，whohadbeeninakindofdoze，suddehatBreehadstoppedandfoundhimselfslippihemalittlecataractofouredintoabroadpool:andboththeHorseswerealreadyihtheirheadsd，drinking，drinking.“O-o-oh，”

saidShastaatohiskoopedhisheadrighti.Itstheloveliestmomentinhislife.

Itwasaboutteerwhenallfourofthem（thetwowetnearlyallover）cameoutaoheirsurroundings.Themoonwasopeepdownintothevalley.Therewassoftgrassonbothsidesoftheriver，ahegrass，treesandbushesslopeduptothebasesofthecliffs.Theremusthavebeensomewonderfulflshrubshiddeninthatshadrowthforthewholegladewasfullofthedmostdeliells.AndoutofthedarkestregthetreestherecameasoundShastahadneverheardbefhtingale.

Everyonewasmuchtootiredtospeakortoeat.TheHorses，withoutwaitingtobeunsaddled，laydownatonce.SodidAravisandShasta.

AbouttehecarefulHwinsaid，“Butwemustn'tgotosleep.We'vegottokeepaheadofthatRabadash.”

“No，”

saidBreeveryslowly.“Mustn'tgosleep.Justalittlerest.”

Shastaknew（foramoment）thattheywouldallgotosleepifhedidn'tgetupahingaboutit，aheoughtto.Infacthedecidedthathewouldgetupahemtogooly;justyet...

&hemoohenightingalesawohorsesandtwohuman，allfastasleep.

ItwasAraviswhoawokefirst.Thesunwasalreadyhighintheheavensandthehourswerealreadywasted.“It'smyfault，”

shesaidtoherselffuriouslyasshejumpedupandbeganrousihers.“OnewouldHorsestokeepawakeafteraday'sworklikethat，evealk.AndofcoursethatBoywouldn't;he'shadraining.ButIoughttohaveker.”

&hersweredazedandstupidwiththeheaviheirsleep.

“Neigh-ho—broo-hoo，”

saidBree.“Beensleepinginmysaddle，eh?I'llagain.Mostunfortable—”

“Oheon，”

saidAravis.“We'velosthalfthemalready.Thereisn'tamomenttospare.”

“Afellow'sgottohaveamouthfulofgrass，”

saidBree.

I'mafraidwe'twait，”

saidAravis.

“What'stheterriblehurry?”

saidBree.“We'vecrossedthedesert，haven'twe?”

“Butwe'renoti，”

saidAravis.“Andwe'vegottogettherebeforeRabadash.”

“Oh，wemustbemilesaheadofhim，”

saidBree.“Haven'twebeeningashorterway?Didn'tthatRavenfriendofyourssaythiswasashortcut，Shasta?”

“Hedidn'tsayanythingaboutshorter，”

aa.“Heonlysaidbetter，becauseyougottoariverthisway.IftheoasisisdueNorthofTashbaan，thenI'mafraidthismaybelonger.”

“WellI'tgoonwithoutasnack，”

saidBree.“Takemybridleoff，Shasta.”

“P-please，”

saidHwin，veryshyly，“IfeeljustlikeBreethatI'tgoon.ButwhenHorseshavehumans（withspursandthings）ontheirba'ttheyofteogoohey&#likethis?aheyfindthey.Im-mean—oughtn'twetobeabletodoevehatwe'refree.It'sallforNarnia.”

“Ithink，Ma'am，”

saidBreeverygly，“thatIknowalittlemoreaboutsandforcedmardwhatahorsedthanyoudo.”

TothisHwinmaden，likemosthighlybredmares，averynervousalepersonutdowyshewasquiteright，andifBreehadhadaTarkaanonhisbackatthatmomenttomakehimgoon，hewouldhavefoundthathewasgoodforseveralhours&#.Butoresultsofbeingaslaveandbeihingsisthatwhenthereisofororeyoufindyouhavealmostlostthepoweryourself.

SotheyhadtowaitwhileBreehadasnadadrink，andofcourseHwinandthehadasnadadrinktoo.Itmusthavebeennearlyeleveno'thembeforetheyfinallygotgoingagaihehingsmuchmentlythawasreallyHwin，thoughshewastheweakerairedofthetwo，whosetthepace.

Thevalleyitself，withitsbrown，crassandmossandwildflowersandrhododendrons，leasamadeyouwanttorideslowly.