THE MAGIC CITY

CONTENTS


CHAPTER I PAGE
THE BEGINNING 1

CHAPTER II
DELIVERER OR DESTROYER 30

CHAPTER III
LOST 65

CHAPTER IV
THE DRAGON-SLAYER 94

CHAPTER V
ON THE CARPET 131

CHAPTER VI
THE LIONS IN THE DESERT 160

CHAPTER VII
THE DWELLERS BY THE SEA 187

CHAPTER VIII
UPS AND DOWNS 218

CHAPTER IX
ON THE 'LIGHTNING LOOSE' 245

CHAPTER X
THE GREAT SLOTH 272

CHAPTER XI
THE NIGHT ATTACK 302

CHAPTER XII
THE END 318




CHAPTER I

THE BEGINNING


Philip Haldane and his sister lived in a little red-roofed house in a
little red-roofed town. They had a little garden and a little balcony,
and a little stable with a little pony in it--and a little cart for the
pony to draw; a little canary hung in a little cage in the little
bow-window, and the neat little servant kept everything as bright and
clean as a little new pin.

Philip had no one but his sister, and she had no one but Philip. Their
parents were dead, and Helen, who was twenty years older than Philip and
was really his half-sister, was all the mother he had ever known. And he
had never envied other boys their mothers, because Helen was so kind and
clever and dear. She gave up almost all her time to him; she taught him
all the lessons he learned; she played with him, inventing the most
wonderful new games and adventures. So that every morning when Philip
woke he knew that he was waking to a new day of joyous and interesting
happenings. And this went on till Philip was ten years old, and he had
no least shadow of a doubt that it would go on for ever. The beginning
of the change came one day when he and Helen had gone for a picnic to
the wood where the waterfall was, and as they were driving back behind
the stout old pony, who was so good and quiet that Philip was allowed to
drive it. They were coming up the last lane before the turning where
their house was, and Helen said:

'To-morrow we'll weed the aster bed and have tea in the garden.'