his teeth more plainly than ever in a sly smile.

"Your servant is desolated," he replied. "I crave your pardon for
showing a trifle so far beneath your notice. My son, take it away. If
your excellencies will deign to overlook my error, I will produce an
article more worthy of your attention. This time I promise myself the
ecstasy of your approval."

"Pretty good line of talk," whispered Toby in Mr. Punch's ear.

"My son," continued Shiraz, "bring hither the Wishing Rug."

The young man took away the prayer-rug, and brought another from the
wall; a much larger one, large enough, indeed, for twenty people to
stand on. It was dingy and frayed, and in no way beautiful like the
other.

"A rug of the Tomb of Rustam," said Shiraz, "gained by the hero in
battle from the genie Akhnavid. It is the last of the Wishing Rugs. Its
property is, that it will transport to the farthest regions of the
earth, in the twinkling of an eye, those who sit upon it and but name
aloud the place of their desire. Excellencies," he said, addressing his
visitors very earnestly, "if it is your wish to return home, the moment
has arrived; you have only to sit upon this rug and wish yourselves at
home, and you will find yourselves there, safe and sound, before the
words shall have well left your lips. And the price is only twenty
pennies."

Every one of the party hesitated. A vision of the Old Tobacco Shop
entered each mind. It had never seemed so cozy, so quiet, so secure as
at that moment. How or when they would ever get there, in the natural
course of events, no one knew. If they did not seize this opportunity,
they might be lost forever. It was a chance such as they could scarcely
have hoped for.

"Could we take our belongings with us?" said the Sly Old Fox.

"All that can be piled on the rug," said Shiraz.

"Then I will buy it," said the Sly Old Codger. "I do not consider twenty
pennies too much for such a rug. The rug is mine."

"It's nothing of the sort," said Aunt Amanda, waking from deep thought.
"Nobody's going to buy the rug. I'm captain of this expedition, and my
orders is, to wait and see what's going to happen next. I'm sorry, sir,
but the rug ain't exactly what we want. You must show us something
else."

The Rug-Merchant appeared greatly mortified. "I do not know how I could
have made such a mistake," he said. "I should have known that these
little trifles could not interest you. I trust you will believe that I
meant no offe