ment he arrives."

Hardly had the men collected about him than a sudden squall struck the
ship. It quivered with the shock, and the sails were nearly torn away
as the ship heeled over on its side, while great waves dashed right
over the deck.

"Do not be afraid," cried Daimur. "I see him, we shall yet be saved if
you will obey me."

In front of them rose a wave higher than all the rest. It seemed as
tall as a mountain, and it would certainly swamp the ship the moment it
struck it. On the top of the wave was a great white crest, in which
Daimur knew was the Magician.

"Now," he shouted above the roar of the wind, "aim at the highest crest
of the wave." They all did so.

"Fire."

Off went the guns.

There were so many of them that they made a deafening roar, and
immediately the ship stood still. As soon as the smoke cleared away
they saw why.

The big wave had burst, and the sea was completely calm again, and
there floating towards them was the Evil Magician himself, quite dead.

As they looked at him they could see that he seemed to be surrounded by
a myriad of queer greenish lights. These grew and spread over the
surface of the water, until as he floated closer they could see that he
was melting like a piece of soap and washing away in green bubbles.
They watched him, quite fascinated, until the last bubble had floated
away and he had completely disappeared.

"Oh," said the Queen, with a shudder, while the Duchess wept with
fright, "how horrible! I do wish the wind would come up again and blow
us away from this dreadful place, We are safe now from the Magician,
but perhaps the witch will pursue us."

"No fear of that; she is afraid of us," said Daimur, who had been
watching the castle through his spectacles. He had seen the witch
dance with rage when they killed the Magician, and a few moments
afterwards he could see that she was closing the shutters and darkening
the house.

The breeze came gradually up again, and in half an hour's time they
were sailing quickly toward the Island of Sunne.

"If this wind continues," said Daimur, "we will reach land early in the
morning, and I think we had better leave the ship armed in case we meet
with any resistance. I am, however, not much afraid of my uncle, for
he is quite powerless without the Evil Magician."

CHAPTER XVIII

Just after the sun had risen the ship touched the wharf at Daimur's
native city, and Daimur, who was the first ash