ary extended under a dreary sky to a distant group of coal-spirit tanks, rusty and cobantly to join the clouds.

    “side just for a bit, Farder Coram?”

    “ter,” uary of toie up by t and go on foot to two....”

    But it ting dark, and in tion of t t and a distant coal barge laboring toired, and s on:

    “ell, I dont suppose itll matter just for a fees in t call it fresent fres  you can sit out on top and look around till  closer in.”

    Lyra leaped up, and Pantalaimon became a seagull at once, eager to stretc side, and altalaimon, on to t, and ed in it, feeling ally to provoke tillermans cormorant daemon into a race.

    But stled doiller near her man.

    t on tter broeady cer under t offering rain; talaimons flas of life and joy.

    As  of a dive e against tled at ruck. ter of s, feeling it stle black t; t like birds but like flying beetles, , and h a droning sound.

    As Pantalaimon fell, trying to t a and Lyras desperate arms, t driving into alaimons fear and  t past her and upward.

    It illermans daemon, and clumsy and  . —tter of black tle black to tarred roof of t Lyras feet just as Pantalaimon landed on stretched hand.

    Before s o  sure, batting it back from t ly to escape. Pantalaimon  firmly do t her.

    t glided sly back and croaked someto tillerman,  let t ot of tin mug ossed it to Lyra.

    S over ture at once. It buzzed and snarled like a little machine.

    “ still,” said Farder Coram from beo slip a piece