Produced by Malcolm Farmer and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net THE MAGIC CITY BY E. NESBIT AUTHOR OF 'THE WOULD-BE-GOODS,' 'THE AMULET,' ETC. ETC. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY H. R. MILLAR MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON 1910 [Illustration: _Page 328_ _Frontispiece_ Three days later Mr. Noah arrived by elephant.] TO BARBARA, MAURICE, AND STEPHEN CHANT THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED BY E. NESBIT WELL HALL, ELTHAM, KENT, 1910. CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE THE BEGINNING 1 CHAPTER II DELIVERER OR DESTROYER 30 CHAPTER III LOST 65 CHAPTER IV THE DRAGON-SLAYER 94 CHAPTER V ON THE CARPET 131 CHAPTER VI THE LIONS IN THE DESERT 160 CHAPTER VII THE DWELLERS BY THE SEA 187 CHAPTER VIII UPS AND DOWNS 218 CHAPTER IX ON THE 'LIGHTNING LOOSE' 245 CHAPTER X THE GREAT SLOTH 272 CHAPTER XI THE NIGHT ATTACK 302 CHAPTER XII THE END 318 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Three days later Mr. Noah arrived by elephant _Frontispiece_ 'Lor', ain't it pretty!' said the parlour-maid 17 Beyond it he could see dim piles that looked like churches and houses 27 'Here--I say, wake up, can't you?' 33 'Top floor, if you please,' said the gaoler politely 49 And behind him the clatter of hot pursuit 61 He heard quite a loud, strong, big voice say, 'That's better' 85 The gigantic porch lowered frowningly above him 91 He walked on and on and on 97 'Silence, trespasser,' said Mr. Noah, with cold dignity 115 Then something hard and heavy knocked him over 127 Mr. Noah whispered ardently, 'Don't!' 139 So, all down the wide clear floor, Lucy danced 157 On the top of a very large and wobbly camel 169