small crowd of people in front of the window, "those Oriental rugs are
generally so--"

But Sutcliffe suddenly nudged my arm, and, with an amused twinkle in his
eye, called my attention to a remarkable little figure standing beside
him, dressed in an extraordinary yellow costume, and wearing a turban.

"Why! bless me! It's Shin Shira!" I exclaimed. "I hadn't noticed you
before."

"No," said the Yellow Dwarf, "I've only just appeared. How very strange
meeting you here!"

I told him what we were doing, and introduced my young cousin, who was
greatly interested and somewhat awe-struck at the extraordinary little
personage in the Oriental costume, whose remarkable appearance was
causing quite a sensation amongst the bystanders.

"Oh, these rugs," he said, looking at them casually. "No, I don't fancy
they are much good for your purpose, they seem to be too--hullo!" he
suddenly cried excitedly, "what's that? Good gracious! I really believe
it's--Why, yes! I'm sure of it! I recognise it quite well by the
pattern. There's not another in the world like it. How could it possibly
have got here?"

"What _are_ you talking about?" I asked.

"Why, this carpet," cried Shin Shira, pointing excitedly to a very
quaint-looking Oriental rug in the corner of the window. "It's the Magic
Carpet which everybody has read about in the _Arabian Nights_. It