"Why doesn't he come back?" inquired the Duchess, in an impatient voice, coming over to where I was standing. "The delay is becoming very embarrassing." I turned very red, I am afraid, for I hardly liked to explain that the probability was that he would _not_ come back at all. "Several of my guests are wanting to go early, and they must have their jewellery before they depart," she continued. "Can you not tell him to hurry up?" "I--I--I--am--afraid n--not," I stammered. "But you _must_," insisted the lady. "He's your friend, and you brought him here, and I shall look to you to--" "Oh, Duchess! I'm sorry to interrupt your charming party, but will you please ask the clever little gentleman who made my diamond and ruby bracelet disappear if he would kindly return it, as I really must be going," said a lady, hurrying up. "And my emerald chain, dear Duchess." "And my gold and pearl locket," chimed in several other voices. "Yes, you simply must fetch him back somehow," said the Duchess, clutching my arm nervously. "You see my guests are beginning to get alarmed. You must!--you must!" "B-but I can't--it's impossible," I endeavoured to explain. The Duchess grew pale. "Do you mean to say," she gasped, "that the man has _really_ disappeared--and--and taken the things with him? It's too terrible--too dreadful! What _am_ I to do? And all my guests! What will they think of me? Oh! _Do--do_--do something! I don't mind so much about my beautiful diamond pendant, but do somehow get back the things belonging to my guests. You brought him here. You _must_!" The grown-up guests were whispering together in little anxious and indignant groups, and things were beginning to look very serious--so serious that I sank into a chair and buried my head in my hands, trying to think of some possible way out of the difficulty. The Duchess was almost in tears, and several ladies were trying to console her, when suddenly I thought of a means of escape. Of course! the wish! I had another wish left according to what the little book had told me. I had _wished_ for a collar-stud, and had found my own. _Perhaps_ if I wished for the jewellery-- The thought no sooner entered my head than I jumped up and began hopping on one leg repeating-- "Fairies, fairies! grant my wishes, You can do so if you will, Birds and beasts and--" "Oh, he's mad, he's gone mad. Hold him, somebody!" cried the Duchess when she saw me hopping about in what must have appeared to her a _most_ eccentric manner; but, though several gentlemen came up and caught hold of me, I managed to get round three times on one leg, and three times on the other, repeating the magic rhyme, and then I wished--_wished_ as hard as ever I could--for the jewellery to be found, before I sank down exhausted with my struggle.