〃I have done。 I rescued him one time from the Tartars； when he was cut off and they were starving him out…that was in the Tunguska campaign； I flew in and took him off。 Sounds easy； but hell； I had to calculate the weight of that old boy by guess…work。 And then I had to bank on finding ground gas under the ice fort he'd made。 But I could see what kind of ground it was from the air； and I reckoned we'd be safe in digging。 See； to go down I have to let gas out of the balloon； and I can't get airborne again without more。 Anyway； we made it； armor and all。〃
〃Mr。 Scoresby； you know the Tartars make holes in people's heads？〃
〃Oh； sure。 They've been doing that for thousands of years。 In the Tunguska campaign we captured five Tartars alive； and three of them had holes in their skulls。 One of them had two。〃
〃They do it to each other？〃
〃That's right。 First they cut partway around a circle of skin on the scalp； so they can lift up a flap and expose the bone。 Then they cut a little circle of bone out of the skull； very carefully so they don't penetrate the brain； and then they sew the scalp back over。〃
〃I thought they did it to their enemies！〃
〃Hell； no。 It's a great privilege。 They do it so the gods can talk to them。〃
〃Did you ever hear of an explorer called Stanislaus Grumman？〃
〃Grumman？ Sure。 I met one of his team when I flew over the Yenisei River two years back。 He was going to live among the Tartar tribes up that way。 Matter of fact； I think he had that hole in the skull done。 It was part of an initiation ceremony； but the man who told me didn't know much about it。〃
〃So 。 。 。 If he was like an honorary Tartar； they wouldn't have killed him？〃
〃Killed him？ Is he dead then？〃
〃Yeah。 I saw his head；〃 Lyra said proudly。 〃My father found it。 I saw it when he showed it to the Scholars at Jordan College in Oxford。 They'd scalped it； and all。〃
〃Who'd scalped it？〃
〃Well； the Tartars； that's what the Scholars thought 。 。 。 。But maybe it wasn't。〃
〃It might not have been Grumman's head；〃 said Lee Scoresby。 〃Your father might have been misleading the Scholars。〃
〃I suppose he might；〃 said Lyra thoughtfully。 〃He was asking them for money。〃
〃And when they saw the head； they gave him the money？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃Good trick to play。 People are shocked when they see a thing like that； they don't like to look too close。〃
〃Especially Scholars；〃 said Lyra。
〃Well； you'd know better than I would。 But if that was Grumman's head； I'll bet it wasn't the Tartars who scalped him。 They scalp their enemies； not their own； and he was a Tartar by adoption。〃
Lyra turned that over in her mind as they drove on。 There were wide currents full of meaning flowing fast around her； the Gobblers and their cruelty； their fear of Dust； the city in the Aurora； her father in Svalbard； her mother 。 。 。 。And where was she？ The alethiometer； the witches flying northward。 And poor little Tony Makarios； and the clockwork spy…fly； and Iorek Byrnison's uncanny fencing 。 。 。
She fell asleep。 And every hour they drew closer to Bolvangar。
FOURTEEN
BOLVANGAR LIGHTS
The fact that the gyptians had heard or seen nothing of Mrs。 Coulter worried Farder Coram and John Faa more than they let Lyra know； but they weren't to know that she was worried too。 Lyra feared Mrs。 Coulter and thought about her often。 And whereas Lord Asriel was now 〃father；〃 Mrs。 Coulter was never 〃mother。〃 The reason for that was Mrs。 Coulter's daemon； the golden monkey； who had filled Pantalaimon with a powerful loathing； and who； Lyra felt； had pried into her secrets； and particularly that of the alethiometer。
And they were bound to be chasing her； it was silly to think otherwise。 The spy…fly proved that； if nothing else。
But when an enemy did strike； it wasn't Mrs。 Coulter。 The gyptians had planned to stop and rest their dogs； repair a couple of sledges； and get all their weapons into shape for the assault on Bolvangar。 John Faa hoped that Lee Scoresby might find some ground gas to fill his smaller balloon （for he had two； apparently） and go up to spy out the land。 However； the aeronaut attended to the condition of the weather as closely as a sailor； and he said there was going to be a fog； and sure enough； as soon as they stopped； a thick mist descended。 Lee Scoresby knew he'd see nothing from the sky； so he had to content himself with checking his equipment； though it was all in meticulous order。 Then； with no warning at all； a volley of arrows flew out of the dark。
Three gyptian men went down at once； and died so silently that no one heard a thing。 Only when they slumped clumsily across the dog traces or lay unexpectedly still did the nearest men notice what was happening； and then it was already too late； because more arrows were flying at them。 Some men looked up； puzzled by the fast irregular knocking sounds that came from up and down the line as arrows hurtled into wood or frozen canvas。
The first to e to his wits was John Faa； who shouted orders from the center of the line。 Cold hands and stiff limbs moved to obey as yet more arrows flew down like rain； straight rods of rain tipped with death。
Lyra was in the open； and the arrows were passing over her head。 Pantalaimon heard before she did； and became a leopard and knocked her over； making her less of a target。 Brushing snow out of her eyes； she rolled over to try and see what was happening； for the semidarkness seemed to be overflowing with confusion and noise。 She heard a mighty roar； and the clang and scrape of Iorek Byrnison's armor as he leaped fully clad over the sledges and into the fog； and that was followed by screams； snarling； crunching and tearing sounds； great smashing blows； cries of terror and roars of bearish fury as he laid them waste。
But who was them？ Lyra had seen no enemy figures yet。 The gyptians were swarming to defend the sledges； but that （as even Lyra could see） made them better targets； and their rifles were not easy to fire in gloves and mittens； she had only heard four or five shots； as against the ceaseless knocking rain of arrows。 And more and more men fell every minute。
Oh； John Faa！ she thought in anguish。 You didn't foresee this； and I didn't help you！
But she had no more than a second to think that； for there was a mighty snarl from Pantalaimon； and something… another daemon…hurtled at him and knocked him down； crushing all the breath out of Lyra herself； and then hands were hauling at her； lifting her； stifling her cry with foul…smelling mittens； tossing her through the air into another's arms； and then pushing her flat down into the snow again； so that she was dizzy and breathless and hurt all at once。 Her arms were hauled behind till her shoulders cracked； and someone lashed her wrists together； and then a hood was crammed over her head to muffle her screams； for scream she did； and lustily：
〃Iorek！ Iorek Byrnison！ Help me！〃
But could he hear？ She couldn't tell； she was hurled this way and that； crushed onto a hard surface which then began to lurch and bump like a sledge。 The sounds that reached her were wild and confused。 She might have heard Iorek Byrnison's roar； but it was a long way off； and then she was jolting over rough ground； arms twisted； mouth stifled； sobbing with rage and fear。 And strange voices spoke around her。
〃Pan 。 。 。 〃
〃I'm here； shh； I'll help you breathe。 Keep still 。 。 。 〃
His mouse paws tugged at the hood until her mouth was freer； and she gulped at the frozen air。
〃Who are they？〃 she whispered。
〃They look like Tartars。 I think they hit John Faa。〃
〃No…〃
〃I saw him fall。 But he should have been ready for this sort of attack。 We know that。〃
〃But we should have helped him！ We should have been watching the alethiometer！〃
〃Hush。 Pretend to be unconscious。〃
There was a whip cracking； and the howl of racing dogs。 From the way she was being jerked and bounced about； Lyra could tell how fast they were going； and though she strained to hear the sounds of battle； all she made out was a forlorn volley of shots； muffled by the distance； and then the creak and rush and soft paw thuds in t