he turned from the magician and wished himself back again where he was at first. Instantly he was there, among his pieces of baggage.
"Ah," said he, smiling, "it was not a bad adventure, but I am glad to be alone again!"
"Ahem!' exclaimed a voice behind him. "I beg pardon, I'm sure; but I fear there has been another mistake. I am sorry to see we both happened to find this spot so attractive!"
The wizard turned and saw the magician standing behind him, looking very foolish.
"So you 're there, are you? Well, it was a natural mistake! We must have no mistake this time. I 'll give the word, and let us each wish ourselves forty leagues away in opposite directions—you to the east, I to the west."
The word was given, the wands waved, and, presto!—nothing at all! Each stood where he was before, for each expected the other to wish himself away.
"It seems to me," said the wizard, after a slight pause, "that it is hardly fair to expect me to leave all my baggage lying around here on the sand!"
"But I was here first," said the magician.
"Yes, to sleep. It strikes me as rather a spacious bedroom!"
"I like a large bedroom," replied the magician. "But we wander from the subject. It is, of course, useless for us to wish again. We have had our three chances, and must now make the best of it. Sit down and have a smoke."
In a moment they were puffing out blue clouds of smoke, sitting cross-legged opposite each other.
"May I ask," said the wizard, presently, "how long you have been practising your profession?"
"Only since Merlin's time—say about a thousand years. I was a pupil of Merlin, and a very good teacher he was."
