"Alas, Master, that it should be so, but you ask your slave that which is impossible, unless you would have me take from the shops that which is not thine." "Not for worlds," I interrupted. "But how is it that you cannot get me the diamonds from the mines as you used to do for your former Master Aladdin in the olden days?" A bitter smile spread over the Slave's face. "The age, Master, has greatly changed, and now the mines in Africa, which were known only to us, are being worked by greedy men with noisy machinery, and we may not be seen there under peril of death. This is the will of the Spirit of the Lamp of whom I am the Slave, and who also calls you Master, though you will never see her." "Oh, well then, that's all knocked on the head," I said to Shin Shira, who had been listening attentively. "I'll dismiss the man now, shall I, and we'll talk over what's best to be done?" Shin Shira nodded, so I told the Slave I had no further use for him at the moment, and he vanished. I stood looking at my little friend in great bewilderment. "It is a great power to possess," I said, regarding the lamp with awe and amazement. "I hope I shan't do anything foolish with it." "Don't be silly," said Shin Shira crossly. "I only wish I had your chance. Why, you can do _anything_ with a power like that. Leave it to me to think over for to-night, and I'll tell you the best thing to do in the morning." "But I'm starting for England the first thing to-morrow," I objected. "Oh! you must put that off for the present," was the decided reply. "I'll be here about eleven, and we'll talk over what's best to be done. Good-night!" and the little fellow held out his hand and strutted off. I slept very little that night, as you may imagine, and all sorts of vague ideas came into my head as to what I should do with the wonderful power which had so mysteriously come within my grasp. I had arrived at no definite decision as to what was best to be done, however, by eleven the next morning, when, punctual to the minute, Shin Shira, looking very spruce and alert, knocked at my door. I noticed with considerable interest that he wore in his turban the diamond which I had so often admired, and he saw me looking at it at once. "Yes," he said, with a series of little nods, "it was very easy. An hour ago I called on the Chief Magistrate, and found him full of apologies and quite convinced that he had made a grievous mistake. It appears that the original diamond, which Mustapha stole, when found, had some of the gold setting still attached to it, proving beyond doubt that it was the missing jewel, so that my own was returned to me; and the Magistrate even insisted on providing a new aigrette and in having it replaced in my turban by a skilled person. So here it is," and he took off his head-dress and regarded it with considerable pride. "But now to your affairs. I am still in favour of the idea of the diamonds." "But how--" I began, when Shin Shira interrupted me.