“Isupposeallyouchaps-owls, Imean, ” saidScrubb, “IsupposeyouallknowthatKingCaspiantheTenth, inhisyoungdays, , Iwaswithhimonthatjourney: withhimandReepicheeptheMouse, , butpeopledon', thatI'mtheKing'sman; andifthisparliamentofowlsisanysortofplotagainsttheKing, I'mhavingnothingtodowithit.”
“Tu-whoo, tu-whoo, we'realltheKing'sowlstoo, ” saidtheowls.
“What'sitallaboutthen? ” saidScrubb.
“It'sonlythis, ” saidGlimfeather.“ThatiftheLordRegent, theDwarfTrumpkin, hearsyouaregoingtolookforthelostPrince, hewon''dkeepyouunderlockandkeysooner.”
“GreatScott! ” saidScrubb.“Youdon'tmeanthatTrumpkinisatraitor? Iusedtohearalotabouthimintheolddays, —theKing, Imean—trustedhimabsolutely.”
“Ohno, ” saidavoice.“Trumpkin' (knights, centaurs, goodgiants, andallsorts) haveatonetimeoranothersetouttolookforthelostPrince, .”
“Butsurelyhe'dletusgo, ” saidScrubb.“WhenheknewwhoIwasandwhohadsentme.”
(“Sentbothofus, ” putinJill.)
“Yes, ” saidGlimfeather, “Ithink, verylikely, ''sastrueassteel, buthe'.”
“Youmightthinkhe'dtakesomenoticeofus, becausewe'reowlsandeveryoneknowshowwiseowlsare, ” saidsomeoneelse.“Buthe'ssooldnowhe'donlysay, 'You''tcometryingtoteachme, ! '”
ThisowlimitatedTrumpkin'svoiceratherwell, , whomeveryoneisalittleafraidofandeveryonemakesfunofandnobodyreallydislikes.
“HowlongistheKinggoingtobeaway? ” askedScrubb.
