faithful
unto me!"

"I should have thought I was more to be trusted than one of your beastly
Efreets!" said Horace, with well-assumed indifference. "But never mind,
I don't know that I care, after all. I've nothing particular to live for
now. You've ruined me pretty thoroughly, and you may as well finish your
work. I've a good mind to jump over, and save you the trouble. Perhaps,
when you see me bouncing down that dome, you'll be sorry!"

"Refrain from rashness!" said the Jinnee, hastily, without suspecting
that Ventimore had no serious intention of carrying out his threat. "If
thou wilt do as thou art bidden, I will not only pardon thee, but grant
thee all that thou desirest."

"Take me back to Vincent Square first," said Horace. "This is not the
place to discuss business."

"Thou sayest rightly," replied the Jinnee; "hold fast to my sleeve, and
I will transport thee to thine abode."

"Not till you promise to play fair," said Horace, pausing on the brink
of the ledge. "Remember, if you let me go now you drop the only friend
you've got in the world!"

"May I be thy ransom!" replied Fakrash. "There shall not be harmed a
hair of thy head!"

Even then Horace had his misgivings; but as there was no other way of
getting off that cornice, he decided to take the risk. And, as it
proved, he acted judiciously, for the Jinnee flew to Vincent Square with
honourable precision, and dropped him neatly into the armchair in which
he had little hoped ever to find himself again.

"I have brought thee hither," said Fakrash, "and yet I am persuaded that
thou art even now devising treachery against me, and wilt betray me if
thou canst."

Horace was about to assure him once more that no one could be more
anxious than himself to see him safely back in his bottle, when he
recollected that it was impolitic to appear too eager.

"After the way you've behaved," he said, "I'm not at all sure that I
ought to help you. Still, I said I would, on certain conditions, and
I'll keep my word."

"Conditions!" thundered the Jinnee. "Wilt thou bargain with me yet
further?"

"My excellent friend," said Horace quietly, "you know perfectly well
that you can't get yourself safely sealed up again in that bottle
without my assistance. If you don't like my terms, and prefer to take
your chance of finding an Efreet who is willing to brave the Lord Mayor,
well, you've only to say so."

"I have loaded thee with all manner of riches and favours, and