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They had come, indeed, to the places where Chrysophylax often roa his daily exercise in the air The lower hills, and the slopes on either side of the path, had a scorched and trarass, and the twisted stuorse stood up black aion had been a dragon&039;s playground for many a year A dark mountain-wall loomed up before thelad of the excuse for no longer being so conspicuous It had not pleased hi at the head of such a cavalcade in these dreary and dubious places A little later he was gladder still, and had reason to thank his fortune (and histhen the Feast of Candle Tailbiter leaped out of its sheath, and the dragon out of his cave

Without warning or forive battle Down he came upon them with a rush and a roar Far from his home he had not shown hie But noas filled with a great wrath; for he was fighting at his own gate, as, it were, and with all his treasure to defend He came round a shoulder of the ale and a gust of red lightning

The argu precedence stopped short All the horses shied to one side or the other, and soe and the servants turned and ran at once They had no doubt as to the order of precedence

Suddenly there caht in the on crashed into the head of the line Several knights were killed before they could even issue their fore to battle, and several others were bowled over, horses and all As for the ree of the their masters off, whether they wished it or no: rey s on the steep stony path Maybe she felt too tired to run away She knew in her bones that dragons on the wing are worse behind you than before you, and you need ht to be useful Besides, she had seen this Chrysophylax before, and re him over field and brook in her own country, till he lay down tas out wide, and she snorted Fare, but he stayed by her side; for there seeing down the line, suddenly saw straight in front of him his old ene he expected He swerved aside like a great bat and collapsed on the hillside close to the road Up ca to walk laed, had scrambled hastily on her back

&039;Excusefor me, by any chance?&039;

&039;No indeed!&039; said Chrysophylax &039;Who would have thought of seeing you here? I was just flying about&039;

&039;Then we ood luck,&039; said Giles, &039;and the pleasure isfor you What&039;s more, I have a bone to pick with you, several bones in a on snorted Farust, and with a flash Tailbiter swept forward, dangerously near the dragon&039;s nose

&039;Hey!&039; said he, and stopped snorting He began to tremble and backed away, and all the fire in hiood master?&039; he whined

&039;Nay! nay!&039; said the farreywith all these knights?&039; said Chrysophylax &039;Knights always kill dragons, if we don&039;t kill the with theht to me,&039; said Giles &039;And anyway, they are all dead now or gone What about what you said last Epiphany?&039;

&039;What about it?&039; said the dragon anxiously

&039;You&039;re nigh on a month late,&039; said Giles, &039;and pay my pardon for all the bother I have been put to&039;

&039;I do indeed!&039; said he &039;I wish you had not troubled to come&039;

&039;It&039;ll be every bit of your treasure this time, and no market-tricks,&039; said Giles, &039;or dead you&039;ll be, and I shall hang your skin fro&039;

&039;It&039;s cruel hard!&039; said the dragon

&039;A bargain&039;s a bargain,&039; said Giles