"What? Go! You remain to mock me? Remember my little Zoological Collection. Which of us triumphed throughout?" "Don't boast of that." "But there is much to boast about. And my experiments have not stood still since that remote period. Science has progressed!" "You will not be merciful?" A scornful laugh was all the reply he vouchsafed. "Then know," she continued solemnly, "that our Fairy Enchantments have also strengthened with time." "Is it to be another tussle between us?" inquired the Wizard, smiling. "It is. And I pray it may be for the last time. I have failed before. But this time I am going to succeed. With the girl my difficulty was not so great, but the boy has been hard to convince that other creatures have troubles greater than his. Others have returned to you through your craft, but this little couple you were forced to go and meet. You sought to entrap the boy as a Crab--it was I who restored the gem and saved him, as you may have guessed. And with that success the Bird-Fairy's hour now has come! You have failed to snare them as Bird, Beast, or Fish--your science can change mortals to nothing else. And now you shall fail to turn them to slaves." Again the Wizard's discordant laughter was heard, and he said-- "You certainly got hold of that gem, my dear--and you evidently consider yourself in consequence an apt pupil of that old Fairy who befriended you--worse luck to her! had she but passed a moment later there would have been no time to frustrate me. My science would have been powerful enough to change you into a mere Bird. My Collection would have been the more valuable, and she could not have made you into a Fairy besides; nor would you have known enchanting arts with power to torment me; nor would you have had any hope of future freedom." The Wizard paused a moment, then rasped out-- "Were it not for your own salvation perhaps you wouldn't be so ready to help the children, and to dare attempt to triumph over me. But we shall see what progress we have both made!" "We shall see!" she repeated. "Touch these dear children if you can. You find it difficult? You do not understand it, eh?" The Wizard, with a groan of pain, had leapt back after another attempt. "I soon shall understand it," he cried angrily, taking up a bottle containing a green fluid, a few drops of which he poured into his palms, then smiled. "This will wake them quickly enough, and probably never let them sleep again." But the only result was a louder cry of pain from him and a peaceful snore from them. The Bird-Fairy looked steadily at him, and the Wizard trembled with anger and fear. Recovering himself he muttered: "You've got them well under your wing. So it must be with you I have to deal first. Ah, ha! I'll show you how Science can outdo your paltry old-fashioned arts!"