“Outontheleft，Jill，andtrytoshootallyoumaybeforetheyreachus.BoarandBearnexttoher.Pogginonmyleft，Eustaceonmyright.Holdtherightwing，Jewel.Standbyhim，Puzzle，anduseyourhoofs.Hoverandstrike，Farsight.YouDogs，justbehindus.Goinamongthemafterthesword-playhasbegun.Aslantoouraid!”
Eustacestoodwithhisheartbeatingterribly，hopingandhopingthathewouldbebrave.Hehadneverseenanything（thoughhehadseenbothadragonandaseaserpent）thatmadehisbloodrunsocoldasthatlineofdark-facedbright-eyedmen.TherewerefifteenCalormenes，aTalkingBullofNarnia，SlinkeytheFox，andWraggletheSatyr.Thenheheardtwang-and-zipponhisleftandoneCalormenefell：thentwang-andzippagainandtheSatyrwasdown.“Oh，welldone，daughter!”
cameTirian’svoice;andthentheenemywereuponthem．
Eustacecouldneverrememberwhathappenedinthenexttwominutes.Itwasalllikeadream（thesortyouhavewhenyourtemperatureisover100）untilheheardRishdaTarkaan’svoicecallingoutfromthedistance：
“Retire.Backhitherandre-for”
ThenEustacecametohissensesandsawtheCalormenesscamperingbacktotheirfriends.ButnotalloftheTwolaydead，piercedbyJewel’shorn，onebyTirian’ssword.TheFoxlaydeadathisownfeet，andhewonderedifitwashewhohadkilledit.TheBullalsowasdown，shotthroughtheeyebyanarrowfromJillandgashedinhissidebytheBoar’stusk.Butoursidehaditslossestoo.Threedogswerekilledandafourthwashobblingbehindthelineonthreelegsandwhimpering.TheBearlayontheground，movingfeebly.Thenitmumbledinitsthroatyvoice，bewilderedtothelast，“I-Idon’tunderstand，”
laiditsbigheaddownonthegrassasquietlyasachildgoingtosleep，andnevermovedagain．
Infact，thefirstattackhadfailed.Eustacedidn’tseemabletobegladaboutit：hewassoterriblythirstyandhisarmachedso．
AsthedefeatedCalormeneswentbacktotheircommander，theDwarfsbeganjeeringatthem．
“Hadenough，Darkies？”
theyyelled.“Don’tyoulikeit？Whydoesn’tyourgreatTarkaangoandfighthimselfinsteadofsendingyoutobekilled？PoorDarkies!”
“Dwarfs，”
criedTirian.“Comehereanduseyourswords，notyourtongues.Thereisstilltime.DwarfsofNarnia!Youcanfightwell，Iknow.Comebacktoyourallegiance.”
“Yah!”
sneeredtheDwarfs.“Notlikely.You’rejustasbighumbugsastheotherlot.Wedon’twantanyKings.TheDwarfsarefortheDwarfs.Boo!”
ThentheDrumbegan：notaDwarfdrumthistime，butabigbull’shideCalormenedruThechildrenfromtheveryfirsthatedthesound.Boom-boom-ba-ba-boomitwent.Buttheywouldhavehateditfarworseiftheyhadknownwhatitmeant.Tiriandid.ItmeantthattherewereotherCalormenetroopssomewherenearandthatRishdaTarkaanwascallingthemtohisaid.TirianandJewellookedatoneanothersadly.Theyhadjustbeguntohopethattheymightwinthatnight：butitwouldbealloverwiththemifnewenemiesappeared．
Tiriangazeddespairinglyround.SeveralNarnianswerestandingwiththeCalormenes，whetherthroughtreacheryorinhonestfearof“Tashlan”
.Othersweresittingstill，staring，notlikelytojoineitherside.Buttherewerefeweranimalsnow：thecrowdwasmuchsmaller.Clearly，severalofthemhadjustcreptquietlyawayduringthefighting．
Boom-boom-ba-ba-boomwentthehorribledruThenanothersoundbegantomixwithit.“Listen!”
saidJewel：andthen“Look!”
saidFarsight.Amomentlatertherewasnodoubtwhatitwas.Withathunderofhoofs，withtossingheads，widenednostrils，andwavingmanes，overascoreofTalkingHorsesofNarniacamechargingupthehill.Thegnawersandnibblershaddonetheirwork．
PoggintheDwarfandthechildrenopenedtheirmouthstocheerbutthatcheernevercame.Suddenlytheairwasfullofthesoundoftwangingbow-stringsandhissingarrows.ItwastheDwarfswhowereshootingand-foramomentJillcouldhardlybelievehereyes-theywereshootingtheHorses.Dwarfsaredeadlyarchers.HorseafterHorserolledover.NotoneofthosenobleBeastseverreachedtheKing．
“LittleSwine，”
shriekedEustace，dancinginhisrage.“Dirty，filthy，treacherouslittlebrutes.”
EvenJewelsaid，“ShallIrunafterthoseDwarfs，Sire，andspittenofthemonmyhornateachplunge？”
ButTirianwithhisfaceassternasstone，said，“Standfast，Jewel.Ifyoumustweep，sweetheart（thiswastoJill），turnyourfaceasideandseeyouwetnotyourbow-string.Andpeace，Eustace.Donotscold，likeakitchen-girl.Nowarriorscolds.Courteouswordsorelsehardknocksarehisonlylanguage.”
ButtheDwarfsjeeredbackatEustace.“Thatwasasurpriseforyou，littleboy，eh？Thoughtwewereonyourside，didyou？Nofear.Wedon’twantanyTalkingHorses.Wedon’twantyoutowinanymorethantheothergang.Youcan’ttakeusin.TheDwarfsarefortheDwarfs.”
RishdaTarkaanwasstilltalkingtohismen，doubtlessmakingarrangementsforthenextattackandprobablywishinghehadsenthiswholeforceintothefirst.Thedrumboomedon.Then，totheirhorror，Tirianandhisfriendsheard，farfainterasiffromalongwayoff，anansweringdruAnotherbodyofCalormeneshadheardRishda’ssignalandwerecomingtosupporthiYouwouldnothaveknownfromTirian’sfacethathehadnowgivenupallhope．
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