No Lyra ask in mind, s mucter. er  Pantalaimon  a pretty pet. On tian boat, to do, and Ma Costa made sure s. S, satoes and made tea, s bearings, s trap clear over tes, sied t up at mooring posts, and  ian.

    s notice  tas  every second for unusual signs of interest in Lyra from terside people. If s realized it, sant, and Mrs. Coulter and tion Board o be searcony  tories  any explanation, t t in itself   being looked for. Gyptians and land folk alike ting jumpy and nervous.

    And tas interest in Lyra; but s to learn t for a fe.

    So took to keeping tage or a canal basin, or anyo came along terions. tas o t, t compartment beneatwo  unsuccessfully.

    “ ter rue t Pantalaimon  time happily asleep by Lyras head.

    Slos and detours, tas boat dre  fringe of it mingled indistinguisidal inlets of tinguiss of ttled tc parts ed or settled at all, and in t central regions, ed careless travelers to tian people  safe to muster.

    And noercourses, gyptian boats os, tcly  ing  d, and .

    ians called a byanroping—a summons or muster of families—so many boats filled ter you could ion over t ians ruled in ter, and  traded fairly, turned a blind eye to t smuggling and tian body floated as, or got snagged in a fis,  ian.

    Lyra listened ento tales of t g dog Black Sco tian even before to ian one, complete ca o remind hings.

    “You ent gyptian, Lyra. You migian ice, but to us tian language. trong currents. ere er people all t, youre a fire person.  youre most like is marss tian sc cive, ts w you are, c.

    “I ent never deceived anyone! You ask...” to ask, of course, and Ma Costa laug kindly.

    “Cant you see Im a paying you a compliment, you gosling?” s understand.

    s it  to set in a splas t, like tered buildings around; to till air, and from ts all around came t.

    tied up close to tself, at a mooring tony said ions. Presently Ma Costa  eels tering and ttle on for potato powder.

    tony and Kerim oiled t on t leats and blue spotted neckerc to greet some old friends in ts and drink a glass or t bar. tant news.

    “e got  in time. t. And to tian boat, and so appear tonig the Roping!”

    ered tempered, as if tside  an excitement groer into t pocket, and jumping aso the Zaal.

    S tony  sian t, for many people stared, and ced, and by time t doors of to stare and give them room.

    And to feel truly nervous. S close to Ma Costa, and Pantalaimon became as big as ook o reassure a trudged up teps as if notop ony and Kerim her side like princes.

    t by naply enoug left ty rafters o struggle to find room on t families squeezed up to make space, c or perc of the rough wooden walls.

    At t of tform  carved . As Lyra and tas found space to stand along t men appeared from t tform and stood in front of tement s over to spaces on t bench.

    Finally tform sat down.

    ties, but tall and bull necked and poian men; to mark  but trengty : Uncle Asriel , and so did ter of Jordan.

    ters raven.

    “ts Joern gyptians,” tony whispered.

    Joo speak, in a deep sloians! elcome to the Roping.

    eve come to listen and come to decide. You all knoaking them.

    to be sure, landlopers are losing coo. e his.

    “Noalk about a cruto stop all gossip. t by to to stay. Anyone tempted by tter find a place neiter. e ent giving her up.”

    Lyra felt a bluss of o t; Pantalaimon became a broo urning to t Ma Costa for reassurance.

    But John Faa was speaking again:

    “talk all  c. e must act if  to chings.

    for you: taking to a to kno. e dont know.

    “  t . ts going on and t whey can.

    “So  easy. And I need your agreement. Im proposing t   our gold into t and courage er. Yes, Raymond van Gerrit?”

    A man in t doo let him speak.

    “Beg pardon, Lord Faa. tians been taken captive. Are you saying we shem as well?”

    Joood up to answer.

    “Raymond, are you saying o a little group of frigo some of t to t t to stay? No, youre a better man t. ell, do I have your approval, my friends?”

    tion caugs ation; but ted roar filled ts sed clamor. ters of ttle s drifted down.

    Jo tinue for a minute, and then raised his hand for silence again.

    “take a  to raise a tax and muster a levy. ell meet again ime. In beto talk ioned before, and o put before you w. Goodnigo ye all.”

    presence o move out of t doors into to go to ts or to ttle settlement, Lyra said to Ma Costa:

    “form?”

    “ther man is Farder Coram.”

    It o see  one tick, and all time ting berembling as if h an ague.

    “Come on,” said tony. “Id best take you up to pay your respects to John Faa.

    You call  kno mind you tell truth.”

    Pantalaimon  curiously on Lyras s, as sony to tform.

    ed  everyone still in taring at ated. Pantalaimon darted to  and became a , sitting up in ly as he looked around.

    Lyra felt a pusepped foro Joern and massive and expressionless, more like a pillar of rock t ooped and  o s  nearly vanished.

    “elcome, Lyra,” he said.

    Close to, s self. S for Pantalaimon, and t t Joony expression tle. reating ly.

    “thank you, Lord Faa,” she said.

    “Noalk,” said Joas?”

    “Oh, yes. e had eels for supper.”

    “Proper fen eels, I expect.”

    table place able darkly polis wwelve chairs were drawn up.

    tform  till o a seat at table.

    “No ,” Joo Lyra, and took t table e Farder Coram. Stle friginual trembling. iful autumn-colored cat, massive in size, able ail and elegantly inspected Pantalaimon, touctling on Farder Corams lap, ly.

    A iced came out of tray of glasses, set it do. Jotle glasses of jenniver from a stone crock for himself and Farder Coram, and wine for Lyra.

    “So,” John Faa said. “You run away, Lyra.”

    “Yes.”

    “And whe lady you run away from?”

    “Ser. And I t s I found out s tion Board, and s, it  o make me  kids for em. But they never knew...”

    “t?”

    “ell, first t I kneca, and a girl out t in Oxford. And anot, Lord Asriel. 1 alking about o t reckon  anyto do er and t, I iring Room  tell t ion up nort  back tanislaus Grumman, artars  him locked up somewhere.

    t to rescue him.”

    Subborn as s t t  , riced expression t trembled across  chasing shadows on a windy March day, John Faas smile was slow, warm, plain, and kindly.

    “You better tell us , mind. tell us everything.”

    Lyra did, more sloold tas but more ly, too. S s afraid of ime. ones in it as there were colors in his daemons fur.

    “t,”  anything else, Lyra?”

    “No. Just Dust. Mrs. Coulter told me  ary particles, but ts all s.”

    “And t by doing someto c more about it?”

    “Yes. But I dont kno my uncle...t to tell you. ern slides, ther one he had.

    It he Roarer—”

    “t?” said John Faa.