"Blighted fool!" commented Bill with pardonable heat. "I don't mean _that_. What 'appened to this chap, Aladdin, 'isself?" "Oh, 'im! A bloomin' girl, 'e was, in the pantomime. I didn't take much notice what 'appened to 'im--married some one, I think." "Yes, but 'oo?" asked Bill, with an air of playing his trump card. "I dunno. Princess Something." "That's what I remember. An' they 'ad palaces, an' jools, an' money, an' everything. An' 'ow did they get 'em, eh?" "I dunno." Alf was really being very dense. Bill tapped him impressively on the arm. "Your spook brought 'em," he said. "Eustace?" "That what you call 'im? Yes, 'im." They gazed at each other, Bill in triumph. Alf in astonishment; at last the latter found his voice. "I never thought o' that kind o' thing!" he said. "No, you're a proper thick-'ed," retorted Grant unkindly. "Now, you send for 'im an' make 'im do something useful for a change." "What shall it be?" "Mine," replied Bill, without hesitation, "is beer. Always was. An' mind, none o' that Govermint muck neither. Something with a bit o' body in it." "Send _'im_ for _beer_?" whispered Alf in horror. He could not have looked more shocked if Bill had suggested sending the sergeant-major to buy him a paper. He had an instinctive feeling that Eustace was one to do things on a grand scale, and would resent being employed as a mere potman. He rubbed his Button nervously, and avoided Eustace's eye. "Is it my Lord's desire that his servant should hop it?" asked the spirit, abandoning his usual formula. He was, he felt, just beginning to settle down to his new master's ways. "No," said Alf, fixing his eyes on vacancy. "Bring me two beers, please, Eustace." "Two biers, O possessor of wisdom?" repeated the djinn, wondering if his startled ears could have heard aright. "Yes. Two beers, I said. And 'urry up." Eustace bowed low, muttered "Thy wish is my command," and vanished. Almost immediately afterwards, with a dull thud apiece, two cumbersome and curiously carved stone sarcophagi fell side by side into the trench, which they blocked completely. Alf and Bill gazed open-mouthed first at the two sepulchers and then at one another. "What the 'ell's this mean?" asked Bill at last. Alf, mortified beyond measure at the failure of his attempt to impress his pal, gave a resigned gesture. "What did I tell yer?" he asked. "That's the kind o' thing 'e's always doin'! No common sense." "Well, p'raps 'e misunderstood yer. P'raps 'e thought you wanted...." "Thought I wanted! Didn't I speak plain English? Ain't 'beer' plain enough for 'im? 'Ow can 'e 'ave misunderstood 'beer'?" "Well, p'raps these 'ere things are called 'beer' in 'is language." Alf snorted. "I ask yer, do they look like it? No, it's just 'is fat-'eaded way." He rubbed his Button fiercely. "Take these blinkin' egg-boxes away, Eustace," he said. "An' pull yerself together. I asked yer for beer--stuff what you drinks, savvy?"