and so I got up and dressed and came down to have another look by
moonlight. And one or two of the bricks and chessmen had fallen down. I
expect nurse knocked them down. So I built them up again as well as I
could--and I was loving it all like anything; and then the door opened
and I hid under the table, and you came in.'

'Then you were there--did you notice how the magic began?'

'No, but it all changed to grass; and then I saw you a long way off,
going up a ladder. And so I went after you. But I didn't let you see me.
I knew you'd be so cross. And then I looked in at the guard-room door,
and I did so want some of the cocoa-nut milk.'

'When did you find out it was _my_ city?'

'I thought the soldiers looked like my lead ones somehow. But I wasn't
sure till I saw the judge. Why he's just old Noah, out of the Ark.'

'So he is,' cried Philip; 'how wonderful! How perfectly wonderful! I
wish we weren't prisoners. Wouldn't it be jolly to go all over it--into
all the buildings, to see what the insides of them have turned into?
And all the other people. I didn't put _them_ in.'

'That's more magic, I expect. But--Oh, we shall find it all out in
time.'

She clapped her hands. And on the instant the door opened and the gaoler
appeared.

'A visitor for you,' he said, and stood aside to let some one else come
in, some one tall and thin, with a black hooded cloak and a black
half-mask, such as people wear at carnival time.

When the gaoler had shut the door and gone away the tall figure took off
its mask and let fall its cloak, showing to the surprised but
recognising eyes of the children the well-known shape of Mr. Noah--the
judge.

'How do you do?' he said. 'This is a little unofficial visit. I hope I
haven't come at an inconvenient time.'

'We're very glad,' said Lucy, 'because you can tell us----'

'I won't answer questions,' said Mr. Noah, sitting down stiffly on his
yellow mat, 'but I will tell you something. We don't know who you are.
But I myself think that you may be the Deliverer.'

'Both of us,' said Philip jealously.

'One or both. You see the prophecy says that the Destroyer's hair is
red. And your hair is not red. But before I could get the populace to
feel sure of, that my own hair would be grey with thought and argument.
Some people are so wooden-headed. And I am not used to thinking. I don't
often have to do it. It distresses me.'

The children said they were sorry. Philip added:

'Do tell us