k. I fell off the sea-wall, you know, and I shan't be able to walk
for ever so long. And one day I rubbed it by accident, and since then my
beautiful perfect butler gets me anything I want. Look here, I'll tell
him to make it like it was yesterday.'

The lamp was rubbed, the order given, and the nursery became a palace
hall hung with cloth of gold and blazing with jewels and softly-coloured
lamps.

'But can't your butler cure your back?'

'No. Time is the only genie who can do that, my butler says. You don't
know how I've wanted someone to show it all to! But I never thought of
wishing for you. It's only a week since I found the lamp----'

'Do they leave you alone all the time?'

'Oh no, only when I say I'm sleepy; and my butler has orders to change
everything to ordinary directly the door-handle turns.'

'Have you told anyone?'

'Oh _no_! My butler says if you tell anyone grown-up that you've got the
lamp it will vanish away. I can't remember whether it's like that in the
"Arabian Nights"; perhaps it's a new rule.'

The two little girls talked all the afternoon about the wonderful things
they would make their slaves do for them, and they were so contented
with each other's company that they never once called on their slaves
for anything.

But when Fina began to feel the inside feeling that means teatime, she
rubbed the ring for her slave to take her back to the farm.

'I'll get my slave to take me to see you home,' said Ella. 'He can carry
me quite without hurting me.'

So she rubbed the lamp, and the stately butler instantly appeared.

'Please----' Ella began; but the glorious butler interrupted.

'James,' he said to the footman, 'what are you doing here?'

'I'm in service with this young lady, Mr. Lamp, sir.'

'Give me the ring, James.'

And instantly the footman took the ring, very gently but quite
irresistibly, from Fina's finger, and handed it to the butler.

'Oh _no_!' Fina cried, 'you've no right to take my ring. And he's no
right to obey you. He's _my_ slave.'

'Excuse me, madam,' said the butler, looking more and more perfect, and
more and more the sort of person who is sure to know best, 'he is not
_your_ slave. He is the Slave of the Ring. But then, you see, he is a
footman, and footmen have to obey butlers all the world over.'

[Illustration: '"We'll see if you are going to begin a-ordering of me
about."'--Page 219.]

'That's so, miss,' said the footman; 'but the lamp's stronger than