l sharpener or a peg-top.

He was right.

'To keep?' said the Lord High Islander; 'for our very own? Always?'

'Yes,' said Philip. 'And there's no fear here. You'll _really_ be "happy
troops" now.'

For a moment nobody said anything, though all the faces were
expressive. Then the Lord High Islander spoke.

'Well,' he said, 'of all the brickish bricks----' and could say no more.

'There are lots of houses,' said Philip, 'and room for all the animals,
and the island is thirty miles round, so there's lots of room for the
animals and everything.' He felt happier than he had ever done in his
life. Giving presents is always enjoyable, and this was such a big and
beautiful present, and he loved it so.

'I always did say Master Pip was a gentleman, and I always shall,' Mr.
Perrin remarked.

'I congratulate you,' said Mr. Noah, 'and I am happy to announce that
your fifth deed is now accomplished. You remember our empty silver
fruit-dishes? Your fifth deed was to be the supplying of Polistarchia
with fruit. This island is the only place in the kingdom where fruit
grows. The ark will serve to convey the fruit to the mainland, and the
performance of this deed raises you to the rank of Duke.'

'Philip, you're a dear,' said Lucy in a whisper.

'Shut up,' said Philip fiercely.

'Three cheers,' said a familiar voice, 'for the Duke of Donors.'

'Three cheers,' repeated the Lord High Islander, 'for the Duke of
Donors.'

What a cheer! All the islanders cheered and the M.A.'s and Lucy and Mr.
Perrin and Mr. Noah, and from the inside of the ark came enthusiastic
barkings and gruntings and roarings and squeakings--as the animals of
course joined in as well as they could. Thousands of gulls, circling on
white wings in the sun above, added their screams to the general chorus.
And when the sound of the last cheer died away, a little near familiar
voice said:

'Well done, Philip! I'm proud of you.'

It was the parrot who, perched on the rigging of the _Lightning Loose_,
had started the cheering.

'So that's all right,' it said, fluttered on to Philip's shoulder and
added, 'I've heard you calling for me on the island all the week. But I
felt I needed a rest. I've been talking too much. And that
Pretenderette. And that cage. I assure you I needed a little time to get
over my adventures.'

'We have all had our adventures,' said Mr. Noah gently. And Helen said:

'Won't you land and take possession of the island? I'm sure we ar