"Ifyoucouldhaveanotherthreewishes, " saidtheoldman, eyeinghimkeenly, "wouldyouhavethem?"
"Idon' tknow, " saidtheother."Idon' tknow."
Hetookthepaw, anddanglingitbetweenhisfrontfingerandthumb, , withaslightcry, stoopeddownandsnatcheditoff.
"Betterletitburn, " saidthesoldiersolemnly.
"Ifyoudon' twantit, Morris, " saidtheoldman, "giveittome."
"Iwon' t, " saidhisfrienddoggedly.", don' , likeasensibleman."
Theothershookhisheadandexaminedhisnewpossessionclosely."Howdoyoudoit?" heinquired.
"Holditupinyourrighthandandwishaloud," saidthesergeant-major, " butIwarnyouoftheconsequences."
"SoundsliketheArabianNights, " saidMrsWhite, assheroseandbegantosetthesupper."Don' tyouthinkyoumightwishforfourpairsofhandsforme?"
Herhusbanddrewthetalismanfromhispocketandthenallthreeburstintolaughterasthesergeant-major, withalookofalarmonhisface, caughthimbythearm.
"Ifyoumustwish, " hesaidgruffly, "wishforsomethingsensible."
, andplacingchairs, , andafterwardthethreesatlisteninginanenthralledfashiontoasecondinstalmentofthesoldier' sadventuresinIndia.
"Ifthetaleaboutthemonkeypawisnotmoretruthfulthanthosehehasbeentellingus, " saidHerbert, asthedoorclosedbehindtheirguest, justintimeforhimtocatchthelasttrain, "weshan' tmakemuchoutofit."
"Didyougivehimanythingforit, father?" , regardingherhusbandclosely.
"Atrifle, " saidhe, colouringslightly."Hedidn' twantit, ."
"Likely, " saidHerbert, withpretendedhorror."Why, we'regoingtoberich, andfamous, , father, tobeginwith; thenyoucan' tbehenpecked."
Hedartedroundthetable, .
