The Mysterious Shin Shira | Page 9

door without attracting much attention.
One nervous old lady, at whose feet we descended somewhat suddenly,
did threaten to call the police--saying rather angrily that "What with
motor-cars and such-like," she "didn't know what we were a-coming to,
and it wasn't safe for a respectable lady to walk about the streets, what
with one thing and another."
I managed, however, to soothe her ruffled feelings, and, rolling the rug
up carefully, we went up to the flat. I threw myself into a chair in the
study, thoroughly tired out and not a little bewildered by the strange
events of the morning.
Lionel, however, was full of excitement, and eager to be off again for a
ride on the marvellous Magic Carpet.
"I say! you know! but it's the rippingest thing I've ever heard of. Why,
we'll be able to go anywhere. Just think what an awful lot we'll save in
railway fares and cabs and those sort of things. I suppose anybody can
use it?" he inquired, turning to Shin Shira.
"Oh yes, of course," declared the little Yellow Dwarf, "so long as you
say, out loud, where you want to go to."

"Oh! Do let's go out again--just for a little while," pleaded Lionel.
"Can't we go to Gammage's? He lives over at Wimbledon. It's quite
easy to get to, and it won't take long. We could be back to lunch, and I
should so like him to see the Magic Carpet. Do come, sir."
"No," I replied, shaking my head, "I'm too tired. You two can go if you
like, only be back in an hour and a half."
"Oh, jolly!" cried Lionel. "Come on, please--let's start at once."
And he picked up the carpet under his arm.
"I think it would attract less attention if, instead of starting from the
pavement, we went out of the window," said Shin Shira. "What do you
say?"
"By all means," I replied, "if you think best," for you see, having ridden
on it myself, I felt perfectly safe in trusting my young cousin on the
Magic Carpet, and I felt sure that Shin Shira would not let him come to
any harm.
So we opened the window, and a minute later the two were gaily
floating away out of sight, both energetically waving their
pocket-handkerchiefs until they disappeared.
I could tell by the noise in the street that their strange method of
conveyance was attracting considerable attention; but as I felt thankful
to note, no one seemed to connect their appearance with my rooms.
The next hour or so passed quickly enough, and I did not begin to get in
the least anxious till I heard the clock strike two, and then I suddenly
realised that they were over half-an-hour late.
"Oh, they're all right," I consoled myself with thinking. "I expect
Gammage is so interested in the wonderful carpet that they can't get
away."
When three hours had passed, however, and there was no sign of their

return, I began to get seriously alarmed.
"What can have happened?" I thought, and, to add to my discomfiture,
a telegram arrived from Lionel's parents inquiring if he had arrived in
London safely from Marlborough.
I was able to reply, truthfully, that he had arrived safely, but, as hour
after hour passed by without any trace of either Shin Shira or the boy, I
became more and more disturbed.
At last I could stand it no longer, but putting on my hat, I hurried off to
the nearest Police Station.
"H'm! What do you say, sir?" said the Police Inspector whom I found
there, seated before a large open book, when in a broken voice I had
hurriedly explained that I feared that my young cousin was lost. "Went
off in company with a foreign-looking gent--Just describe him to me,
please, as near as you can."
I described Shin Shira's appearance as accurately as I could, and the
Police Inspector looked up hurriedly and gave me a searching glance.
"Do you mean to say the gent was going about the streets dressed like
that?" he asked, when I had told him about Shin Shira's yellow costume
and turban.
"Yes," I replied in some confusion, "he is a foreigner, you know, and--"
"Where does he come from?"
"From Japan, I think, or China, or--"
"What's his name?"
"Shin Shira Scaramanga Manousa Yama Hama is his full name, but--"
The Police Inspector laid down his pen and stared again at me.
"It's a curious name," said he; "I'll get you to write it down for me. I

don't think I should be surprised at anything happening to anyone with
a name like that. Where do you say they were going?"
"Well," I explained, "they set out to go to Wimbledon to see a--"
"Wimbledon? Let's see, from