the
ring.' He snatched up the lamp. 'Now, then,' he said, turning fiercely
to the butler, 'we'll see if you're going to begin a-orderin' of me
about!'

The butler so far forgot himself as to scratch his head thoughtfully.

'Yes,' he said, after a pause; 'I've got to own that you've got the
better of me there, James Rings. But why dispute--which is beneath the
dignity of a six-foot footman like yourself, to say nothing of the
dignity of a butler, which is a thing words can't do justice to? You're
my slave because I've got the ring and because I'm a butler and you're a
footman. And I'm your slave because you've got the lamp. It's half a
dozen of one and six and a half of the other. Can't we come to some
agreement between ourselves, James?'

'Oh,' cried Ella, 'what about _us_?'

'We are excessively sorry to cause any inconvenience, madam,' said the
butler, 'but we give you five minutes' notice. We are leaving service
for good.'

'Oh, Lamps!' cried Ella. 'And you were always such a beautiful butler. I
thought you enjoyed being it.'

'Don't you make any mistake, miss,' the footman put in. 'Nobody _enjoys_
being in service, though they has to put up with it. Me and Mr. Lamps is
retiring from service. Perhaps we may take a little business and go into
partnership, and always wishing you well, young ladies both.'

'But,' said Fina, 'you _can't_ go and leave me here! Why, I should never
get home. I don't so much as know what county I'm in.'

'You're in Auckland, miss,' said James.

'There isn't such a country.'

'Pardon me, madam,' said the butler, 'there is. In New Zealand.'

'Don't cry, miss,' said James. 'If Mr. Lamps 'll only give the word,
I'll take you home.'

'And then I shall never see Ella again.'

'Oh, tell Lamps to rub the ring and tell you to arrange for me to come
and live near her in England,' cried Ella; 'if he'll do that I don't
care. I'd rather have a friend than twenty slaves.'

'A very proper sentiment, ma'am,' said the butler approvingly. 'Is there
any other little thing we could do to oblige you?'

'The pagoda,' said Fina. 'If you could only get it back to Miss Patty,
so that she won't lose the things she sold it for, and won't know about
the ring having been in it.'

'Consider it done, madam,' said the Slave of the Lamp, stroking his
respectable butlerial whisker. 'Now, if you're ready, your footman shall
see you home.'

'Good-bye, oh, good-bye,' said the little girls, kissing each oth