ily the kind of things that
people said nowadays. For a creature that had in its time associated
with Megatheriums and Pterodactyls, its quickness was really wonderful.

'It's more worthy of me,' it said, 'than the kind of bag that's given
away with a pound of plaice. When do you propose to take me out in it?'

'I should like a rest from taking you or us anywhere,' said Cyril. But
Jane said--

'I want to go to Egypt. I did like that Egyptian Princess that came
to marry the King in Babylon. She told me about the larks they have in
Egypt. And the cats. Do let's go there. And I told her what the bird
things on the Amulet were like. And she said it was Egyptian writing.'

The others exchanged looks of silent rejoicing at the thought of their
cleverness in having concealed from Jane the terrors they had suffered
in the dungeon below the Euphrates.

'Egypt's so nice too,' Jane went on, 'because of Doctor Brewer's
Scripture History. I would like to go there when Joseph was dreaming
those curious dreams, or when Moses was doing wonderful things with
snakes and sticks.'

'I don't care about snakes,' said Anthea shuddering.

'Well, we needn't be in at that part, but Babylon was lovely! We had
cream and sweet, sticky stuff. And I expect Egypt's the same.'

There was a good deal of discussion, but it all ended in everybody's
agreeing to Jane's idea. And next morning directly after breakfast
(which was kippers and very nice) the Psammead was invited to get into
his travelling carriage.

The moment after it had done so, with stiff, furry reluctance, like that
of a cat when you want to nurse it, and its ideas are not the same as
yours, old Nurse came in.

'Well, chickies,' she said, 'are you feeling very dull?'

'Oh, no, Nurse dear,' said Anthea; 'we're having a lovely time. We're
just going off to see some old ancient relics.'

'Ah,' said old Nurse, 'the Royal Academy, I suppose? Don't go wasting
your money too reckless, that's all.'

She cleared away the kipper bones and the tea-things, and when she had
swept up the crumbs and removed the cloth, the Amulet was held up and
the order given--just as Duchesses (and other people) give it to their
coachmen.

'To Egypt, please!' said Anthea, when Cyril had uttered the wonderful
Name of Power.

'When Moses was there,' added Jane.

And there, in the dingy Fitzroy Street dining-room, the Amulet grew
big, and it was an arch, and through it they saw a blue, blue sky and a
r