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For a few minutes the balloon, being freed from Shin Shira's weight, rapidly ascended, but presently there was a terrible escape of gas and we began to descend again at a great rate. "Throw out the ballast!" cried one of the aeronauts, and the other, seeing the four bags of what he thought were worthless stones, in his haste and eagerness thrust them overboard.
"But should we be able to return to our proper size again?" I inquired carefully, for I remembered from previous experience that Shin Shira's magical powers had an unfortunate habit of going wrong at times. "Without the least doubt," replied he; "in fact, from the time that you are reduced to the size which you desire to be, you very gradually increase, till your original size is reached."
"You may save yourself the trouble," said John Splendid; "Glen Shira's awake by this time, for the watchers have been in the hut on Ben Bhuidhe since ever we came back from Lorn, and they are in league with other watchers at the Gearron town, who will have the alarm miles up the Glen by now if I make no mistake about the breed."
The lame duck had been disturbed by Shin Shira's passing, and was slowly waddling towards the water. "She's coming in!" declared Lionel. "By Jove! doesn't she look a size now we're so tiny!" The boy was right, for, to us, the duck now appeared a formidable monster of strange and uncouth shape.
Before we got to Baghdad, though, Shin Shira had the misfortune to disappear, much to the horror of the aeronauts, who thought he had fallen out of the basket, and who would scarcely credit my explanation when I told them of Shin Shira's peculiar misfortune in this respect. He left the two bags of precious stones behind him, and they stood beside mine at the bottom of the basket.
I was about to ask how this was possible, when I caught Shin Shira's eye, and I could see by the light in it that he was expecting me to make some inquiry; but I was determined that he should not again have the opportunity of remarking upon my ignorance, so I held my tongue and said nothing, as though gathering cabbages in order to make an apple pie was the most natural thing in the world to do.
I shall have a good look at that jewel in Shin Shira's turban next time I see him and as for "the Bellows," I hardly know which explanation to accept, Shin Shira's or that of the guide. It was just at the end of the school term, and I had received a letter from my young cousin Lionel, who was at Marlborough, reminding me of my promise that he should spend a part at least of his holidays with me.
Now I shall have to take it back again, I suppose, or No! it's Shin Shira's. And here comes the rest of him!" for I could see a little hazy yellow figure gradually growing out of nothing. "Ah! just in time, I see," said the little fellow, when he had quite appeared. "I did so hope that I should be able to be visible again before you left Baghdad. Well, how did you get on?
I described Shin Shira's appearance as accurately as I could, and the Police Inspector looked up hurriedly and gave me a searching glance. "Do you mean to say the gent was going about the streets dressed like that?" he asked, when I had told him about Shin Shira's yellow costume and turban. "Yes," I replied in some confusion, "he is a foreigner, you know, and " "Where does he come from?"
I wonder how it got to be lame." "Some boys," said an indistinct voice close at hand, "some boys threw a stone at it this afternoon and injured its leg." We looked round in great surprise, for there seemed to be nobody about to account for the voice; but presently I could just discern Shin Shira's face and yellow turban appearing.
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