Reepicheep slipped off Lucy‘s shoulder and stepped to he front.
“Dragon，” came his shrill voice， “can you understand peech？”
The dragon nodded. “Can you speak？”
It shook its head.
“Then，” said Reepicheep， “it is idle to ask you your business. ut if you will swear friendship with us raise your left foreleg bove your head.”
It did so， but clumsily because that leg was sore and wollen with the golden bracelet“Oh look，” said Lucy， “there’s something wrong with itsg. The poor thing.that‘s probably what it was crying bout. Perhaps it came to us to be cured like in Androcles nd the lion.”
“Be careful， Lucy，” said Caspian. “It’s a very clever dragon ut it may be a liar.”
Lucy had， however， already run forward， followed by eepicheep， as fast as his short legs could carry him， and hen of course the boys and Drinian came， too.
“Show me your poor paw，” said Lucy， “I might be able to ure it.”