will be one
hundred and eighty ducats," said he, turning to the Reformed Pirate;
"we make a reduction when there are more than one."

"Are you willing?" asked the Reformed Pirate of Corette, as he put his
hand in his breeches' pocket.

"Oh yes!" said Corette, "certainly I am, if that's the only way."

Whereupon her good friend said no more, but pulled out a hundred and
eighty ducats and handed them to the Practicing Wizard, who immediately
commenced operations.

Corette and the Reformed Pirate were each placed in a large easy-chair,
and upon each of their heads the old white-faced gentleman placed a
little pink ball, about the size of a pea. Then he took a position in
front of them.

"Now then," said he, "sit perfectly still. It will be over in a few
minutes," and he lifted up a long thin stick, and, pointing it toward
the couple, he began to count: "One, two, three, four----"

As he counted, the Reformed Pirate and Corette began to shrink, and by
the time he had reached fifty they were no bigger than cats. But he
kept on counting until Corette was about three and a half inches high
and her companion about five inches.

Then he stopped, and knocked the pink ball from each of their heads
with a little tap of his long stick.

"There we are," said he, and he carefully picked up the little
creatures and put them on a table in front of a looking-glass, that
they might see how they liked his work.

It was admirably done. Every proportion had been perfectly kept.

"It seems to me that it couldn't be better," said the Condensed Pirate,
looking at himself from top to toe.

"No," said the Practicing Wizard, smiling rather more than usual, "I
don't believe it could."

"But how are we to get away from here?" said Corette to her friend. "A
little fellow like you can't sail that big boat."

"No," replied he, ruefully, "that's true; I couldn't do it. But
perhaps, sir, you could condense the boat."

"Oh no!" said the old gentleman, "that would never do. Such a little
boat would be swamped before you reached shore, if a big fish didn't
swallow you. No, I'll see that you get away safely."

So saying, he went to a small cage that stood in a window, and took
from it a pigeon.

"This fellow will take you," said he. "He is very strong and swift, and
will go ever so much faster than your boat."

[Illustration: "'IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT COULDN'T BE BETTER,' SAID THE
CONDENSED PIRATE."]

Next he fastened a belt around th