did not alter the surrounding darkness， but the wholeship was lit up as if by searchlight. Caspian blinked， stared round， saw the faces of his companions all with wild， fixed expressions. Everyone was staring in the same direction： behind everyone lay his black， sharply.edged shadow.
Lucy looked along the beam and presently saw something in it. At first it looked like a cross， then it looked like an aeroplane， then it looked like a kite， and at last with a whirring of wings it was right overhead and was an albatross. It circled three times round the mast and then perched for an instant on the crest of the gilded dragon at the prow. It called out in a strong sweet voice what seemed to be words though no one understood them. After that it spread its wings， rose， and began to fly slowly ahead， bearing a little to starboard. Drinian steered after it not doubting that it offered good guidance. But no one except Lucy knew that as it circled the mast it had whispered to her， “Courage， dear heart，” and the voice， she felt sure， was Aslan’s， and with the voice a delicious smell breathed in her face.