derclothes； and saw the dress and the wolfskin coat folded at the end of her bunk together with her shopping bag。 The alethiometer was still there。
She dressed quickly and went through the door at the end to find herself in the cabin with the stove； where it was warm。
There was no one there。 Through the windows she saw a gray swirl of fog on each side； with occasional dark shapes that might have been buildings or trees。
Before she could go out on deck； the outer door opened and Ma Costa came down； swathed in an old tweed coat on which the damp had settled like a thousand tiny pearls。
〃Sleep well？〃 she said； reaching for a frying pan。 〃Now sit down out the way and I'll make ye some breakfast。 Don't stand about； there en't room。〃
〃Where are we？〃 said Lyra。
〃On the Grand Junction Canal。 You keep out of sight； child。 I don't want to see you topside。 There's trouble。〃
She sliced a couple of rashers of bacon into the frying pan； and cracked an egg to go with them。
〃What sort of trouble？〃
〃Nothing we can't cope with； if you stay out the way。〃
And she wouldn't say any more till Lyra had eaten。 The boat slowed at one point； and something banged against the side； and she heard men's voices raised in anger； but then someone's joke made them laugh； and the voices drew away and the boat moved on。
Presently Tony Costa swung down into the cabin。 Like his mother； he was pearled with damp； and he shook his woollen hat over the stove to make the drops jump and spit。
〃What we going to tell her； Ma？〃
〃Ask first； tell after。〃
He poured some coffee into a tin cup and sat down。 He was a powerful； dark…faced man； and now that she could see him in daylight； Lyra saw a sad grimness in his expression。
〃Right；〃 he said。 〃Now you tell us what you was doing in London； Lyra。 We had you down as being took by the Gobblers。〃
〃I was living with this lady； right 。 。 。 〃
Lyra clumsily collected her story and shook it into order as if she were settling a pack of cards ready for dealing。 She told them everything； except about the alethiometer。
〃And then last night at this cocktail party I found out what they were really doing。 Mrs。 Coulter was one of the Gobblers herself； and she was going to use me to help her catch more kids。 And what they do is…〃
Ma Costa left the cabin and went out to the cockpit。 Tony waited till the door was shut； and cut in：
〃We know what they do。 Least； we know part of it。 We know they don't e back。 Them kids is taken up north； far out the way； and they do experiments on 'em。 At first we reckoned they tried out different diseases and medicines； but there'd be no reason to start that all of a sudden two or three years back。 Then we thought about the Tartars； maybe there's some secret deal they're making up Siberia way； because the Tartars want to move north just as much as the rest； for the coal spirit and the fire mines； and there's been rumors of war for even longer than the Gobblers been going。 And we reckoned the Gobblers were buying off the Tartar chiefs by giving 'em kids； cause the Tartars eat 'em； don't they？ They bake children and eat 〃em。〃
〃They never！〃 said Lyra。
〃They do。 There's plenty of other things to be told； and all。 You ever heard of the Nalkainens？〃
Lyra said； 〃No。 Not even with Mrs。 Coulter。 What are they？〃
〃That's a kind of ghost they have up there in those forests。 Same size as a child； and they got no heads。 They feel their way about at night and if you're a sleeping out in the forest they get ahold of you and won't nothing make 'em let go。 Nalkainens； that's a northern word。 And the Windsuckers； they're dangerous too。 They drift about in the air。 You e across clumps of 'em floated together sometimes； or caught snagged on a bramble。 As soon as they touch you； all the strength goes out of you。 You can't see 'em except as a kind of shimmer in the air。 And the Breathless Ones 。 。 。 〃
〃Who are they？〃
〃Warriors half…killed。 Being alive is one thing； and being dead's another； but being half…killed is worse than either。 They just can't die； and living is altogether beyond 'em。 They wander about forever。 They're called the Breathless Ones because of what's been done to 'em。〃
〃And what's that？〃 said Lyra； wide…eyed。
〃The North Tartars snap open their ribs and pull out their lungs。 There's an art to it。 They do it without killing 'em； but their lungs can't work anymore without their daemons pumping 'em by hand； so the result is they're halfway between breath and no breath； life and death； half…killed； you see。 And their daemons got to pump and pump all day and night； or else perish with 'em。 You e across a whole platoon of Breathless Ones in the forest sometimes； I've heard。 And then there's the panserbj0rne…you heard of them？ That means armored bears。 They're great white bears； and…〃
〃Yes！ I have heard of them！ One of the men last night； he said that my uncle； Lord Asriel； he's being imprisoned in a fortress guarded by the armored bears。〃
〃Is he； now？ And what was he doing up there？〃
〃Exploring。 But the way the man was talking I don't think my uncle's on the same side as the Gobblers。 I think they were glad he was in prison。〃
〃Well； he won't get out if the armored bears are guarding him。 They're like mercenaries； you know what I mean by that？ They sell their strength to whoever pays。 They got hands like men； and they learned the trick of working iron way back； meteoric iron mostly； and they make great sheets and plates of it to cover theirselves with。 They been raiding the Skraelings for centuries。 They're vicious killers； absolutely pitiless。 But they keep their word。 If you make a bargain with a panserbj0m； you can rely on it。〃
Lyra considered these horrors with awe。
〃Ma don't like to hear about the North；〃 Tony said after a few moments； 〃because of what might've happened to Billy。 We know they took him up north； see。〃
〃How d'you know that？〃
〃We caught one of the Gobblers； and made him talk。 That's how we know a little about what they're doing。 Them two last night weren't Gobblers； they were too clumsy。 If they'd been Gobblers we'd've took 'em alive。 See； the gyptian people； we been hit worse than most by these Gobblers； and we're a ing together to decide what to do about it。 That's what we was doing in the basin last night； taking on stores； 'cause we're going to a big muster up in the fens； what we call a roping。 And what I reckon is we're a going to send out a rescue party； when we heard what all the other gyptians know； when we put our knowledge together。 That's what I'd do； if I was John Faa。〃
〃Who's John Faa？〃
〃The king of the gyptians。〃
〃And you're really going to rescue the kids？ What about Roger？〃
〃Who's Roger？〃
〃The Jordan College kitchen boy。 He was took same as Billy the day before I e away with Mrs。 Coulter。 I bet if I was took； he'd e and rescue me。 If you're going to rescue Billy； I want to e too and rescue Roger。〃
And Uncle Asriel； she thought； but she didn't mention that。
SEVEN
JOHN FAA
Now that Lyra had a task in mind； she felt much better。 Helping Mrs。 Coulter had been all very well； but Pantalaimon was right： she wasn't really doing any work there； she was just a pretty pet。 On the gyptian boat； there was real work to do； and Ma Costa made sure she did it。 She cleaned and swept； she peeled potatoes and made tea； she greased the propeller shaft bearings； she kept the weed trap clear over the propeller； she washed dishes； she opened lock gates； she tied the boat up at mooring posts； and within a couple of days she was as much at home with this new life as if she'd been born gyptian。
What she didn't notice was that the Costas were alert every second for unusual signs of interest in Lyra from the waterside people。 If she hadn't realized it； she was important； and Mrs。 Coulter and the Oblation Board were bound to be searching everywhere for her。 Indeed； Tony heard from gos…sip in pubs along the way that the police were making raids on houses and farms and building yards and factories without any explanation； though there was a rumor that they were searching for a missing gir