TheshopmanshowedGipmagictrainsthatranwithoutsteamorclockwork，justasyousetthesignals，andthensomevery，veryvaluableboxesofsoldiersthatallcamealivedirectlyyoutookoffthelidandsaid。Imyselfhaven’taveryquickearanditwasatongue-
twistingsound，butGip——hehashismother’sear——gotitinnotime。
“Bravo！“saidtheshopman，puttingthemenbackintotheboxunceremoniouslyandhandingittoGip。“Now，“saidtheshopman，andinamomentGiphadmadethemallaliveagain。
“You’lltakethatbox？“askedtheshopman。
“We’lltakethatbox，“saidI，“unlessyouchargeitsfullvalue。
InwhichcaseitwouldneedaTrustMagnate——“
“Dearheart！NO！“andtheshopmansweptthelittlemenbackagain，shutthelid，wavedtheboxintheair，andthereitwas，inbrownpaper，tiedupand——WITHGIP’SFULLNAMEANDADDRESSONTHEPAPER！
Theshopmanlaughedatmyamazement。
“Thisisthegenuinemagic，“hesaid。“Therealthing。“
“It’salittletoogenuineformytaste，“Isaidagain。
AfterthathefelltoshowingGiptricks，oddtricks，andstillodderthewaytheyweredone。Heexplainedthem，heturnedtheminsideout，andtherewasthedearlittlechapnoddinghisbusybitofaheadinthesagestmanner。
IdidnotattendaswellasImight。“Hey，presto！“saidtheMagicShopman，andthenwouldcometheclear，small“Hey，presto！“
oftheboy。ButIwasdistractedbyotherthings。Itwasbeingborneinuponmejusthowtremendouslyrumthisplacewas；itwas，sotospeak，inundatedbyasenseofrumness。Therewassomethingalittlerumaboutthefixtureseven，abouttheceiling，aboutthefloor，aboutthecasuallydistributedchairs。IhadaqueerfeelingthatwheneverIwasn’tlookingatthemstraighttheywentaskew，andmovedabout，andplayedanoiselesspuss-in-the-cornerbehindmyback。
Andthecornicehadaserpentinedesignwithmasks——masksaltogethertooexpressiveforproperplaster。
Thenabruptlymyattentionwascaughtbyoneoftheodd-lookingassistants。Hewassomewayoffandevidentlyunawareofmypresence——
Isawasortofthree-quarterlengthofhimoverapileoftoysandthroughanarch——and，youknow，hewasleaningagainstapillarinanidlesortofwaydoingthemosthorridthingswithhisfeatures！
Theparticularhorridthinghedidwaswithhisnose。Hediditjustasthoughhewasidleandwantedtoamusehimself。Firstofallitwasashort，blobbynose，andthensuddenlyheshotitoutlikeatelescope，andthenoutitflewandbecamethinnerandthinneruntilitwaslikealong，red，flexiblewhip。Likeathinginanightmareitwas！Heflourisheditaboutandflungitforthasafly-fisherflingshisline。
MyinstantthoughtwasthatGipmustn’tseehim。Iturnedabout，andtherewasGipquitepreoccupiedwiththeshopman，andthinkingnoevil。Theywerewhisperingtogetherandlookingatme。Gipwasstandingonalittlestool，andtheshopmanwasholdingasortofbigdruminhishand。
“Hideandseek，dadda！“criedGip。“You’reHe！“
AndbeforeIcoulddoanythingtopreventit，theshopmanhadclappedthebigdrumoverhim。Isawwhatwasupdirectly。“Takethatoff，“
Icried，“thisinstant！You’llfrightentheboy。Takeitoff！“
Theshopmanwiththeunequalearsdidsowithoutaword，andheldthebigcylindertowardsmetoshowitsemptiness。Andthelittlestoolwasvacant！Inthatinstantmyboyhadutterlydisappeared？……
Youknow，perhaps，thatsinistersomethingthatcomeslikeahandoutoftheunseenandgripsyourheartabout。Youknowittakesyourcommonselfawayandleavesyoutenseanddeliberate，neitherslownorhasty，neitherangrynorafraid。Soitwaswithme。
Icameuptothisgrinningshopmanandkickedhisstoolaside。
“Stopthisfolly！“Isaid。“Whereismyboy？“
“Yousee，“hesaid，stilldisplayingthedrum’sinterior，“thereisnodeception——“
Iputoutmyhandtogriphim，andheeludedmebyadexterousmovement。Isnatchedagain，andheturnedfrommeandpushedopenadoortoescape。“Stop！“Isaid，andhelaughed，receding。Ileaptafterhim——intoutterdarkness。
THUD！
“Lor’blessmy’eart！Ididn’tseeyoucoming，sir！“
IwasinRegentStreet，andIhadcollidedwithadecent-lookingworkingman；andayardaway，perhaps，andlookingalittleperplexedwithhimself，wasGip。Therewassomesortofapology，andthenGiphadturnedandcometomewithabrightlittlesmile，asthoughforamomenthehadmissedme。
Andhewascarryingfourparcelsinhisarm！
Hesecuredimmediatepossessionofmyfinger。
ForthesecondIwasratherataloss。Istaredroundtoseethedoorofthemagicshop，and，behold，itwasnotthere！
Therewasnodoor，noshop，nothing，onlythecommonpilasterbetweentheshopwheretheysellpicturesandthewindowwiththechicks！……
Ididtheonlythingpossibleinthatmentaltumult；Iwalkedstraighttothekerbstoneandheldupmyumbrellaforacab。
“’Ansoms，“saidGip，inanoteofculminatingexultation。
Ihelpedhimin，recalledmyaddresswithaneffort，andgotinalso。
Somethingunusualproclaimeditselfinmytail-coatpocket，andIfeltanddiscoveredaglassball。WithapetulantexpressionIflungitintothestreet。
Gipsaidnothing。
Foraspaceneitherofusspoke。
“Dada！“saidGip，atlast，“thatWASapropershop！“
Icameroundwiththattotheproblemofjusthowthewholethinghadseemedtohim。Helookedcompletelyundamaged——sofar，good；
hewasneitherscarednorunhinged，hewassimplytremendouslysatisfiedwiththeafternoon’sentertainment，andthereinhisarmswerethefourparcels。
Confoundit！whatcouldbeinthem？
“Um！“Isaid。“Littleboyscan’tgotoshopslikethateveryday。“
Hereceivedthiswithhisusualstoicism，andforamomentIwassorryIwashisfatherandnothismother，andsocouldn’tsuddenlythere，corampublico，inourhansom，kisshim。Afterall，Ithought，thethingwasn’tsoverybad。
ButitwasonlywhenweopenedtheparcelsthatIreallybegantobereassured。Threeofthemcontainedboxesofsoldiers，quiteordinaryleadsoldiers，butofsogoodaqualityastomakeGipaltogetherforgetthatoriginallytheseparcelshadbeenMagicTricksoftheonlygenuinesort，andthefourthcontainedakitten，alittlelivingwhitekitten，inexcellenthealthandappetiteandtemper。
Isawthisunpackingwithasortofprovisionalrelief。Ihungaboutinthenurseryforquiteanunconscionabletime……
Thathappenedsixmonthsago。AndnowIambeginningtobelieveitisallright。Thekittenhadonlythemagicnaturaltoallkittens，andthesoldiersseemassteadyacompanyasanycolonelcoulddesire。AndGip——？
TheintelligentparentwillunderstandthatIhavetogocautiouslywithGip。
ButIwentsofarasthisoneday。Isaid，“Howwouldyoulikeyoursoldierstocomealive，Gip，andmarchaboutbythemselves？“
“Minedo，“saidGip。“IjusthavetosayawordIknowbeforeIopenthelid。“
“Thentheymarchaboutalone？“
“Oh，QUITE，dadda。Ishouldn’tlikethemiftheydidn’tdothat。“
Idisplayednounbecomingsurprise，andsincethenIhavetakenoccasiontodropinuponhimonceortwice，unannounced，whenthesoldierswereabout，butsofarIhaveneverdiscoveredthemperforminginanythinglikeamagicalmanner。
It’ssodifficulttotell。
There’salsoaquestionoffinance。Ihaveanincurablehabitofpayingbills。IhavebeenupanddownRegentStreetseveraltimes，lookingforthatshop。Iaminclinedtothink，indeed，thatinthatmatterhonourissatisfied，andthat，sinceGip’snameandaddressareknowntothem，Imayverywellleaveittothesepeople，whoevertheymaybe，tosendintheirbillintheirowntime。
