"I'll smash the rotten thing, "cried Eustace;and then several things happened at the same time.

Eustace rushed towards the picture.

Edmund, who knew something about magic, sprang after him, warning him to look out and not to be a fool.

Lucy grabbed at him from the other side and was dragged forward.

And by this time either they had grown much smaller or the picture had grown bigger.

Eustace jumped to try to pull it off the wall and found himself standing on the frame;in front of him was not glass but real sea, and wind and waves rushing up to the frame as they might to a rock.

He lost his head and clutched at the other two who had jumped up beside him.

There was a second of struggling and shouting, and just as they thought they had got their balance a great blue roller surged up round them, swept them off their feet, and drew them down into the sea.

Eustace's despairing cry suddenly ended as the water got into his mouth.

Lucy thanked her stars that she had worked hard at her swimming last summer term.