“Magic,” whispered Ulfin.
“Not magic,” said the Princess. “Your cases are only bubbles.”
“And I never knew,” said Ulfin.
“No,” said the Princess, “because you never dared to touch them.”
The children were already busy pulling the coats off the ruby slab where they lay. “Here’s Cathay’s,” whispered Mavis.
The Princess snatched it and her own pearly coat which, in one quick movement, she put on and buttoned over Cathay’s little folded coat, holding this against her. “Quick,” she said, “put yours on, all of you. Take your mer-tails on your arms.”
They did. The soldiers at the end of the long hall had noticed the movements and came charging up toward them.
“Quick, quick!” said the Princess, “now—altogether. One, two, three. Press your third buttons.”
The children did, and the soldiers tearing up the hall to arrest the breakers of the cases of the Museum—for by this time they could see what had happened—almost fell over each other in their confusion. For there, where a moment ago had been four children with fin-tail fetters, was now empty space, and beside the rifled Museum case stood only Ulfin.