WHILEthetwoboyswerewhisperingbehind,boththegirlssuddenlycried“Oh!”andstopped.
“Therobin!”criedLucy,“therobin.It’sflownaway.”Andsoithad-rightoutofsight.
“Andnowwhatarewetodo?”saidEdmund,givingPeteralookwhichwasasmuchastosay“WhatdidItellyou?”
“Sh!Look!”saidSusan.
“What?”saidPeter.
“There’ssomethingmovingamongthetreesovertheretotheleft.”
Theyallstaredashardastheycould,andnoonefeltverycomfortable.
“Thereitgoesagain,”saidSusanpresently.
“Isawitthattimetoo,”saidPeter.“It’sstillthere.It’sjustgonebehindthatbigtree.”
“Whatisit?”askedLucy,tryingveryhardnottosoundnervous。
“Whateveritis,”saidPeter,“it’sdodgingus.It’ssomething
thatdoesn’twanttobeseen.”
“Let’sgohome,”saidSusan.Andthen,thoughnobodysaiditoutloud,everyonesuddenlyrealizedthesamefactthatEdmundhadwhisperedtoPeterattheendofthelastchapter.Theywerelost.
“What’sitlike?”saidLucy.
“It’s-it’sakindofanimal,”saidSusan;andthen,“Look!Look!Quick!Thereitis.”
Theyallsawitthistime,awhiskeredfurryfacewhichhadlookedoutatthemfrombehindatree.Butthistimeitdidn’timmediatelydrawback.Instead,theanimalputitspawagainstitsmouthjustashumansputtheirfingerontheirlipswhentheyaresignallingtoyoutobequiet.Thenitdisappearedagain.Thechildren,allstoodholdingtheirbreath.
Amomentlaterthestrangercameoutfrombehindthetree,glancedallroundasifitwereafraidsomeonewaswatching,said“Hush”,madesignstothemtojoinitinthethickerbitofwoodwhereitwasstanding,andthenoncemoredisappeared.
“Iknowwhatitis,”saidPeter;“it’sabeaver.Isawthetail.”
“Itwantsustogotoit,”saidSusan,“anditiswarningusnottomakeanoise.”
“Iknow,”saidPeter.“Thequestionis,arewetogotoitornot?Whatdoyouthink,Lu?”
“Ithinkit’sanicebeaver,”saidLucy.
“Yes,buthowdoweknow?”saidEdmund.
“Shan’twehavetoriskit?”saidSusan.“Imean,it’snogood
juststandinghereandIfeelIwantsomedinner.”
AtthismomenttheBeaveragainpoppeditsheadoutfrombehindthetreeandbeckonedearnestlytothem.
“Comeon,”saidPeter,“let’sgiveitatry.Allkeepclosetogether.Weoughttobeamatchforonebeaverifitturnsouttobeanenemy.”