It was Cyril who broke in on Robert’s almost too technical account of the motor-car on which he meant to go to and from school—
‘There!’ he said. ‘Dry up. It’s no good. We can’t ever go back. We don’t know where it is.’
‘Don’t YOU know?’ Jane asked the Phoenix, wistfully.
‘Not in the least,’ the Phoenix replied, in a tone of amiable regret.
‘Then we’ve lost the treasure,’ said Cyril. And they had.
‘But we’ve got the carpet and the Phoenix,’ said Anthea.
‘Excuse me,’ said the bird, with an air of wounded dignity, ‘I do SO HATE to seem to interfere, but surely you MUST mean the Phoenix and the carpet?’
CHAPTER 3. THE QUEEN COOK
It was on a Saturday that the children made their first glorious journey on the wishing carpet. Unless you are too young to read at all, you will know that the next day must have been Sunday.