thorough boy, who, if he had been like other boys, would doubtless have
grown up daring and adventurous--a soldier, a sailor, or the like. As
it was, he could only show his courage morally, not physically, by being
afraid of nothing, and by doing boldly all that it was in his narrow
powers to do. And I am not sure but that in this way he showed more real
valor than if he had had six pairs of proper legs.

He said to himself: "What a goose I am! As if my dear godmother would
ever have given me anything to hurt me. Here goes!"

So, with one of his active leaps, he sprang right into the middle of the
cloak, where he squatted down, wrapping his arms tight round his knees,
for they shook a little and his heart beat fast. But there he sat,
steady and silent, waiting for what might happen next.

Nothing did happen, and he began to think nothing would, and to feel
rather disappointed, when he recollected the words he had been told to
repeat--"Abracadabra, dum dum dum!"

He repeated them, laughing all the while, they seemed such nonsense. And
then--and then----

Now I don't expect anybody to believe what I am going to relate, though
a good many wise people have believed a good many sillier things. And as
seeing's believing, and I never saw it, I cannot be expected implicitly
to believe it myself, except in a sort of a way; and yet there is truth
in it--for some people.

The cloak rose, slowly and steadily, at first only a few inches, then
gradually higher and higher, till it nearly touched the skylight. Prince