To make a boat or eagle or dolphin out of rope? Very tempting! How the kids would envy him!
Or change himself in other shapes? So useful. He hesitated.
"I'd like to be able to come back, sir," he said, and his growing grief at those he must leave prevented him from saying anything else. Mr. Wicker's face broke into a radiant smile and he held out his firm hand.
"So you shall, Christopher, so you shall! And you shall remember it all, I promise you. That too, you can have."
He stepped forward and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. His eyes were deeply sad although his lips still smiled.
"And now," said Mr. Wicker, "good soldier that you are for General Washington and for your country, all that you learned must leave you and remain with me."
Mr. Wicker put his hand briefly on Chris's head, let it slip to cover his eyes—so lightly it was scarcely felt—and then to cover his mouth. Chris waited, but he felt no different.
"Be a fly!" commanded the magician.
Chris searched his mind. There were words to say, and you thought hard. He tried once more, and a third time, and then wordlessly shook his head.
"Make a rope boat!" said Mr. Wicker.