it was Indian at
once, by the shape of the domes and roofs; and besides, a man went by on
an elephant, and two English soldiers went along the road, talking like
in Mr Kipling's books--so after that no one could have any doubt as to
where they were. They rolled up the carpet and Robert carried it, and
they walked bodily into the town.

It was very warm, and once more they had to take off their
London-in-November coats, and carry them on their arms.

The streets were narrow and strange, and the clothes of the people in
the streets were stranger and the talk of the people was strangest of
all.

'I can't understand a word,' said Cyril. 'How on earth are we to ask for
things for our bazaar?'

'And they're poor people, too,' said Jane; 'I'm sure they are. What we
want is a rajah or something.'

Robert was beginning to unroll the carpet, but the others stopped him,
imploring him not to waste a wish.

'We asked the carpet to take us where we could get Indian things for
bazaars,' said Anthea, 'and it will.'

Her faith was justified.

Just as she finished speaking a very brown gentleman in a turban came
up to them and bowed deeply. He spoke, and they thrilled to the sound of
English words.

'My ranee, she think you very nice childs. She asks do you lose
yourselves, and do you desire to sell carpet? She see you from her
palkee. You come see her--yes?'

They followed the stranger, who seemed to have a great many more teeth
in his smile than are usual, and he led them through crooked streets
to the ranee's palace. I am not going to describe the ranee's palace,
because I really have never seen the palace of a ranee, and Mr Kipling
has. So you can read about it in his books. But I know exactly what
happened there.

The old ranee sat on a low-cushioned seat, and there were a lot of other
ladies with her--all in trousers and veils, and sparkling with tinsel
and gold and jewels. And the brown, turbaned gentleman stood behind a
sort of carved screen, and interpreted what the children said and what
the queen said. And when the queen asked to buy the carpet, the children
said 'No.'

'Why?' asked the ranee.

And Jane briefly said why, and the interpreter interpreted. The queen
spoke, and then the interpreter said--

'My mistress says it is a good story, and you tell it all through
without thought of time.'

And they had to. It made a long story, especially as it had all to be
told twice--once by Cyril and once by the i