Lyra looked up at Jo  words of his reply.

    “No out, Raymond, dont be s us to give to t right?”

    tood obstinately fro said nothing.

    “ell, per,” Joinued. “But if any man or  little girl is ter of Lord Asriel, no less. For tten, it urk for t s free passage on ty. It ercourse Bill in Parliament, to our great and lasting benefit. And it o pull out young Ruud and Nellie Koopman. You forgotten t? Shame, shame on you, shame.

    “And no same Lord Asriel is  coldest darkest regions of tive, in tress of Svalbard. Do I need to tell you tures a guarding tle daug ies for a bit of peace and quiet. Is t rigand up and answer, man.”

    But Raymond van Gerrit o , and notand. A lo be feeling, as well as a deep glow of pride in her.

    Journed a tform.

    “Nicting you in cefanski, I  you to take cions, and command ting. Roger van Poppel, you look to all tores, from food to cold-mann, you be treasurer, and account to us all for a proper apportionment of our gold.

    Benjamin de Ruyter, I  you to take c deal , and Im a giving you t, and youll report to Farder Coram. Mico be responsible for coordinating t four leaders  to me, and if I die, youre my second in command and youll take over.

    “Noions according to custom, and if any man or o disagree, they may do so freely.”

    After a moment a ood up.

    “Lord Faa, ent you a taking any ion to look after them kids once you found em?”

    “No, Nell. e stle space as it is. Any kids ter off in our care theyve been.”

    “But supposing you find out t you cant rescue em  some women in disguise as guards or nurses or wever?”

    “ell, I  t of t,” Joted. “ell consider t most carefully o the parley room, you have my promise.”

    S doood up.

    “Lord Faa, I  Lord Asriel is in captivity. Is it part of your plan to rescue  is, and if s going to need more ty men. And good friend as Lord Asriel is to us, I dont knoo go as far as t.”

    “Adriaan Braks, youre not o do o keep our eyes and ears open and see w knowledge we can glean wh.

    It may be t o  may not, but you can trust me not to use side tated one of finding our children and bringing em home.”

    Anotood up.

    “Lord Faa,  knove been doing to our children.

    e all ories of fearful t c c in oget too ao mention. Im truly sorry to distress anyone, but o get it out in t aake poo let ts of mercy and gentleness riking and striking y bloo t of t infernal  a co the Gobblers.”

    t as s down. he Zaal.

    Joed for silence, and said:

    “Not, save only judgment. If I stay my  o strike to strike a day too soon is as bad as striking a o be sure, t you say. But if you give in to t passion, friends, youre a doing isfaction of your oo do. Our . It ent gratification for upset feelings. Our feelings dont matter.

    If   punisask. But if o punis and by doing so lose the kids, weve failed.

    “But be assured of t. ime comes to punisrike sucs faint and fearful. e srike trengt of em. e sed, broken and stered, torn in a ttered to t you  Jo is too soft to strike a blow wime comes.

    And time . Not under passion.

    “Is ts to speak? Speak if you will.”

    But no one did, and presently Jo   of it so t ters.

    Jo tform for ttle disappointed. Didnt t oo? But tony laughed.

    “t plans to make,” , Lyra. Nos for Johe council.”

    “But I ent done not!” Lyra protested, as santly out of toty. “All I done er! ts just a beginning. I  to go north!”

    “tell you ony, “Ill bring you back a oots w Ill do.”

    Lyra scoalaimon occupied  tonys daemon, ed to tty and  erns on strings over ter to attract to be lunged at icks and missed.

    But o t in t oo o look t she could hear a low rumble of voices inside.

    So so t firmly five times. topped, a c out on tep.

    “Yes?” said t.

    Beyond able, acked neatly, and papers and pens, and glasses and a crock of jenniver.

    “I  to come nort. “I  to come and s  out to do when I run away from Mrs.

    Coulter. And before t, even, I meant to rescue my friend Roger tcook. I  to come and ion and I can take anbaromagnetic readings off t parts of a bear you can eat, and all kind of useful t up t me be — knoerrupting your talk.”

    Sc and some ation, but salaimon sat up in  eyes blazing green.

    Jo no question of taking you into danger, so dont delude yourself, cay a and keep safe. ts  to do.”

    “But Im learning o read ter, too. Its coming clearer every day! Youre bound to need t—bound to!”

    he shook his head.

    “No,”   on going nort its my belief not even Mrs. Coulter o take you. If you  to see to  till all troubles over. Now off you go.”

    Pantalaimon ly, but Joook off from t t teningly, but like a reminder of good manners; and Lyra turned on o Jo beh a decisive click.

    “e alaimon. “Let em try to stop us. e will!”