'"Don't break down the door! The villains may return any moment and destroy you."'—Page [115].

TO
MY DEAR NIECE
ANTHONIA NESBIT

CONTENTS

OSWALD BASTABLE
AN OBJECT OF VALUE AND VIRTUE[1]
THE RUNAWAYS[34]
THE ARSENICATORS: A TALE OF CRIME[64]
THE ENCHANCERIED HOUSE[89]
OTHERS
MOLLY, THE MEASLES, AND THE
MISSING WILL[123]
BILLY AND WILLIAM[151]
THE TWOPENNY SPELL[167]
SHOWING OFF; OR, THE LOOKING-GLASS BOY[181]
THE RING AND THE LAMP[200]
THE CHARMED LIFE; OR, THE PRINCESS AND THE LIFT-MAN[224]
BILLY THE KING[247]
THE PRINCESS AND THE CAT[275]
THE WHITE HORSE[301]
SIR CHRISTOPHER COCKLESHELL[318]
MUSCADEL[343]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

'Don't break down the door! The villains may return any moment and destroy you'[Frontispiece]
'Here is your prize,' said Oswald[30]
'Come into the kitchen,' said Oswald; 'you can drip there quite comfortably'[52]
We consented to carry the unfortunate bed-woman to it[76]
The room was a very odd shape[103]
A little person in a large white cap[121]
Molly had a splendid ride behind the groom[134]
The bicycle started, Billy in the saddle and Harold on the step[164]
'And what can we do for you to-day, Miss?'[170]
The alligator very nearly had him[194]
'Your servant, Miss. Do I understand that you order me to mend this?'[206]
The little girl had slapped Fina, and taken the pagoda away[214]
'We'll see if you are going to begin a-ordering of me about'[218]
'Come by post, your Lordship,' said the footman[254]
'Excuse my hair, Sire,' he said[256]
'Speak to the dragon as soon as it arrives'[262]
The two skated into each other's arms[270]
'Take that!' cried he, aiming an apple at the old man's head[306]
In the drawer was just one jewelled ring. It lay on a written page[346]
A black-winged monster, with hundreds and hundreds of eyes[350]
On the table stood the dazzling figure of a real full-sized princess[358]
A blowzy, frowzy dairymaid[362]
'You've got a face as long as a fiddle'[366]