"'Now, like good creatures, the first thing in the morning, set to and get some laundry work done, and I'll go out and hang up some of the clothes, and you'll see that the birds won't hurt me.' "They all agreed to this, and the good-natured girl who had been crying said, 'I'll come with you, if you like, and show you how to hang the things up.' "'So you shall,' said I, and went up to my room to make preparations for the morning. "It was quite simple. I sent for some coloured wax, and having made a wooden model of a nose, I made on it some little waxen cases which could be worn over one's own nose, and _then_, if the birds pecked at it, it wouldn't matter in the least. "In the morning, the wax cases were quite set and hard, and when the maid and I went out to hang up the clothes, it was great fun to see the bewilderment of a large blackbird when he flew away with the maid's false nose, and she calmly stuck on another. "The birds soon gave up their evil ways after that, but for some months, as a precaution, the maids never ventured out without a nose protector. "It was for this useful invention that the King of Hearts bestowed on me the title of 'Doctor to His Majesty's Household.'" "H'm!" I remarked, when he had finished, "it's a very remarkable story. I seem to have heard of some of the incidents before, somehow." "Very likely, very likely," said Shin Shira, "Well, I must be going now." And he shook hands and went out by the door, in a sensible way for once. As he went out of the house, I heard him singing softly-- "The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts All on a summer's day"-- And then he changed his song to-- "Sing a song of sixpence, A pocketful of rye, Four-and-twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie. "The maid was in the garden Hanging out the clothes, And along came a blackbird And nipped off her nose." And I remembered then why his story had seemed so familiar. MYSTERY NO. X AND LAST SHIN SHIRA DISAPPEARS The day after my little friend had related to me his experiences in the land of the King and Queen of Hearts, I was surprised to receive a portmanteau addressed to me, which, on my opening it, I found to contain the little yellow costume, including the turban with the diamond ornament, which Shin Shira had always worn. There was no note enclosed, and I naturally wondered very much what had occasioned this strange parcel being sent to me. I had no means of communicating with Shin Shira, and so had to wait with what patience I could summon for an explanation from him. I had not long to wait, fortunately, for in the afternoon of the same day the little fellow burst in upon me, clothed in a frock coat, tall hat and regulation costume of a gentleman in easy circumstances. I must say he was not nearly such a picturesque looking person as he had been in his Oriental dress. He threw himself into a chair and seemed overflowing with news.