Although the dinner originally was only supposed to go on until seven o'clock, it was close to midnight before any of them left the Professor's house. And even when they had left and gotten Jill home and Eustace to Peter and Helena's house, where he would be staying until he went to school in a week, the four Pevensie's stayed up hours later in the living room talking everything over.
The plan was this: they were to have Peter and Edmund go to London dressed as workmen to dig up the green and yellow rings Digory and Polly had used in their adventures to Narnia. These, they would bring to the station where the children got off for school and give them the rings in passing so they could get to Narnia and help the man they had seen. The others had all readily agreed to go on the train with them but, as Peter, Edmund, and Lucy had been told they had had their last adventure in Narnia, it was agreed that only Helena, Jill, and Eustace would go.
It was almost three in the morning before they all agreed to go to bed, Lucy with Helena in her room and Edmund with Peter in his.
.
The following several days were consumed with putting to order the day they were to all go to London. Helena had to sort out a few things at the school and Peter had to request time off from his office while Edmund, who had gone on to be an engineer, also had to request time off. Lucy, who worked as a Primary School teacher, luckily did not have a school year that started very early.
When at last the day had come, Helena could not sleep. After tossing a turning some, she got up, wrapped her bathrobe around her, and went out into the living room only to find that it was not empty. Peter, Edmund, and Eustace were all up.
"Seems the party is out here," Helena said with an amused smile. Taking a seat, she said, "Can't sleep?"
"Edmund and I have an early train," Peter explained. Helena nodded.
"I can't sleep," Eustace admitted with a shrug.
There was a long pause before Edmund said, "I wish I was going with you three."
"Me too," Helena admitted. "I wish I had been with you when you first went to Narnia."
"Well, it does no good wishing for things that can't change," Peter said, although they could all tell by his tone that he wished as badly as any of them that he was going to Narnia tomorrow morning.
There was a long pause before Edmund suddenly glanced at the clock and said, "Peter, we need to go." Everyone got to their feet.
"Be safe," Helena said, embracing her brothers in turn. As she embraced Peter, she found she did not want to let go. She held onto him for an extra moment or two before finally letting him go. Just before parting, Peter kissed her cheek with brotherly affection and the two were gone. Helena and Eustace sat back down. Neither could sleep and neither wanted to move. It was about five in the morning when a sudden knock on the door startled them out of their thoughts. Helena got up and opened the door to find Lucy, Jill, Aunt Polly, and Digory.
"Sleep well?" Lucy asked.
"Not at all," Helena admitted tiredly. Once they had all eaten and packed some lunches for Jill and Eustace, Helena broke away to her room to pack a bag to take with her. In this bag, she put a compass, a torch, a first aid kit, and some crackers. When she had returned, it was time for them all to leave for the train station.
There was a sense of nervousness about them as they filled an empty train compartment. No one felt much like talking. Eventually, however, they were nearing London. But as they came towards the station, the train did not, as they would have expected, slow. A frightful banging sounded and then, Helena had the sudden curious sensation that she felt light. The pain from her bad ankle faded, the soreness and tiredness from her night of no sleep were gone, and then, just as suddenly, she found herself standing in broad daylight, staring at a wood.