“We’d better land at night,” said Jackie Tar, “so we won’t be bothered with a lot of people watching us.”

So they waited until it was dark.

“I’ve been thinking,” said Jackie Tar.  “Once when I was here before, I saw some magicians who did wonderful tricks.  They are called Hindus.  A Hindu is an Indian.”

“Oh, I know,” said Kernel Cob, “he’s got red skin and wears feathers in his hair.”

“No!” said Jackie Tar.  “That’s an American Indian; but these Hindus are born in India where we are now.”

“Tell us about the tricks,” said Sweetclover.

“Well,” said Jackie Tar, “there isn’t a trick which they can’t do.  Once I saw them make a little boy run up a long pole and when he came to the top he disappeared.”

“You mean to say they can do that?” asked the Villain.

“They sure can,” answered Jackie Tar.  “And my idea is this:  If they can do that, maybe they can show you where Jackie and Peggs’ motheranfather are.”

“What makes you so smart, Jackie Tar?” asked the Villain.

“I don’t know,” said he, “I guess I was just born that way.”

“Well, let’s go ashore and ask one of them to help us,” said Kernel Cob.

“Aye, aye, mates,” said Jackie Tar.

So they went ashore, and walked along the streets until they came to a little house that Jackie Tar said he remembered as being the house where a magician lived.

And they knocked upon the door and it opened.  And they went inside and all was quiet and black as night.  And they groped their way till they heard a low mumbling sound, and, pulling aside a curtain, they saw an old man with a long white beard, sitting in a room with black furniture and curtains.

And he said something to them in a very strange language which they couldn’t understand.

And Jackie Tar stepped forward and said: 

“Please, kind magician, we have come to find the motheranfather of Jackie and Peggs.  Will you be good enough to help us?” And even as he was speaking a great cloud spread through the room and floated toward the ceiling.  In a minute the cloud became thinner, so you could see through it, and at once trees and a house were seen.

“It’s Jackie and Peggs’ garden,” said Sweetclover in a breathless whisper.  “Look!”

And sure enough there was the garden just as they left it, and Jackie and Peggs were playing with Kernel Cob and Sweetclover just as they did on that day they were blown away by the storm.

“It’s us!  It’s us!” cried Sweetclover, and as she spoke Peggs came and put the parasol over them and the storm arose that carried them away toward the sky.  Then the cloud disappeared, and the vision was gone.

“It’s the strangest thing I ever saw,” and Kernel Cob rubbed his eyes and pinched himself, but he had to admit that he had not been asleep and dreamed it.

[Illustration]

And the Magician led them into another room through a black curtain, and this new room was blacker than the first one, and they held hands so they wouldn’t become separated.