TheshopmanshowedGipmagictrainsthatranwithoutsteamorclockwork，justasyousetthesignals，andthensomevery，veryvaluableboxesofsoldiersthatallcamealivedirectlyyoutookoffthelidandsaid。Imyselfhaven’taveryquickearanditwasatongue-
　　twistingsound，butGip——hehashismother’sear——gotitinnotime。
　　“Bravo！“saidtheshopman，puttingthemenbackintotheboxunceremoniouslyandhandingittoGip。“Now，“saidtheshopman，andinamomentGiphadmadethemallaliveagain。
　　“You’lltakethatbox？“askedtheshopman。
　　“We’lltakethatbox，“saidI，“unlessyouchargeitsfullvalue。
　　InwhichcaseitwouldneedaTrustMagnate——“
　　“Dearheart！NO！“andtheshopmansweptthelittlemenbackagain，shutthelid，wavedtheboxintheair，andthereitwas，inbrownpaper，tiedupand——WITHGIP’SFULLNAMEANDADDRESSONTHEPAPER！
　　Theshopmanlaughedatmyamazement。
　　“Thisisthegenuinemagic，“hesaid。“Therealthing。“
　　“It’salittletoogenuineformytaste，“Isaidagain。
　　AfterthathefelltoshowingGiptricks，oddtricks，andstillodderthewaytheyweredone。Heexplainedthem，heturnedtheminsideout，andtherewasthedearlittlechapnoddinghisbusybitofaheadinthesagestmanner。
　　IdidnotattendaswellasImight。“Hey，presto！“saidtheMagicShopman，andthenwouldcometheclear，small“Hey，presto！“
　　oftheboy。ButIwasdistractedbyotherthings。Itwasbeingborneinuponmejusthowtremendouslyrumthisplacewas；itwas，sotospeak，inundatedbyasenseofrumness。Therewassomethingalittlerumaboutthefixtureseven，abouttheceiling，aboutthefloor，aboutthecasuallydistributedchairs。IhadaqueerfeelingthatwheneverIwasn’tlookingatthemstraighttheywentaskew，andmovedabout，andplayedanoiselesspuss-in-the-cornerbehindmyback。
　　Andthecornicehadaserpentinedesignwithmasks——masksaltogethertooexpressiveforproperplaster。
　　Thenabruptlymyattentionwascaughtbyoneoftheodd-lookingassistants。Hewassomewayoffandevidentlyunawareofmypresence——
　　Isawasortofthree-quarterlengthofhimoverapileoftoysandthroughanarch——and，youknow，hewasleaningagainstapillarinanidlesortofwaydoingthemosthorridthingswithhisfeatures！
　　Theparticularhorridthinghedidwaswithhisnose。Hediditjustasthoughhewasidleandwantedtoamusehimself。Firstofallitwasashort，blobbynose，andthensuddenlyheshotitoutlikeatelescope，andthenoutitflewandbecamethinnerandthinneruntilitwaslikealong，red，flexiblewhip。Likeathinginanightmareitwas！Heflourisheditaboutandflungitforthasafly-fisherflingshisline。
　　MyinstantthoughtwasthatGipmustn’tseehim。Iturnedabout，andtherewasGipquitepreoccupiedwiththeshopman，andthinkingnoevil。Theywerewhisperingtogetherandlookingatme。Gipwasstandingonalittlestool，andtheshopmanwasholdingasortofbigdruminhishand。
　　“Hideandseek，dadda！“criedGip。“You’reHe！“
　　AndbeforeIcoulddoanythingtopreventit，theshopmanhadclappedthebigdrumoverhim。Isawwhatwasupdirectly。“Takethatoff，“
　　Icried，“thisinstant！You’llfrightentheboy。Takeitoff！“
　　Theshopmanwiththeunequalearsdidsowithoutaword，andheldthebigcylindertowardsmetoshowitsemptiness。Andthelittlestoolwasvacant！Inthatinstantmyboyhadutterlydisappeared？……
　　Youknow，perhaps，thatsinistersomethingthatcomeslikeahandoutoftheunseenandgripsyourheartabout。Youknowittakesyourcommonselfawayandleavesyoutenseanddeliberate，neitherslownorhasty，neitherangrynorafraid。Soitwaswithme。
　　Icameuptothisgrinningshopmanandkickedhisstoolaside。
　　“Stopthisfolly！“Isaid。“Whereismyboy？“
　　“Yousee，“hesaid，stilldisplayingthedrum’sinterior，“thereisnodeception——“
　　Iputoutmyhandtogriphim，andheeludedmebyadexterousmovement。Isnatchedagain，andheturnedfrommeandpushedopenadoortoescape。“Stop！“Isaid，andhelaughed，receding。Ileaptafterhim——intoutterdarkness。
　　THUD！
　　“Lor’blessmy’eart！Ididn’tseeyoucoming，sir！“
　　IwasinRegentStreet，andIhadcollidedwithadecent-lookingworkingman；andayardaway，perhaps，andlookingalittleperplexedwithhimself，wasGip。Therewassomesortofapology，andthenGiphadturnedandcometomewithabrightlittlesmile，asthoughforamomenthehadmissedme。
　　Andhewascarryingfourparcelsinhisarm！
　　Hesecuredimmediatepossessionofmyfinger。
　　ForthesecondIwasratherataloss。Istaredroundtoseethedoorofthemagicshop，and，behold，itwasnotthere！
　　Therewasnodoor，noshop，nothing，onlythecommonpilasterbetweentheshopwheretheysellpicturesandthewindowwiththechicks！……
　　Ididtheonlythingpossibleinthatmentaltumult；Iwalkedstraighttothekerbstoneandheldupmyumbrellaforacab。
　　“’Ansoms，“saidGip，inanoteofculminatingexultation。
　　Ihelpedhimin，recalledmyaddresswithaneffort，andgotinalso。
　　Somethingunusualproclaimeditselfinmytail-coatpocket，andIfeltanddiscoveredaglassball。WithapetulantexpressionIflungitintothestreet。
　　Gipsaidnothing。
　　Foraspaceneitherofusspoke。
　　“Dada！“saidGip，atlast，“thatWASapropershop！“
　　Icameroundwiththattotheproblemofjusthowthewholethinghadseemedtohim。Helookedcompletelyundamaged——sofar，good；
　　hewasneitherscarednorunhinged，hewassimplytremendouslysatisfiedwiththeafternoon’sentertainment，andthereinhisarmswerethefourparcels。
　　Confoundit！whatcouldbeinthem？
　　“Um！“Isaid。“Littleboyscan’tgotoshopslikethateveryday。“
　　Hereceivedthiswithhisusualstoicism，andforamomentIwassorryIwashisfatherandnothismother，andsocouldn’tsuddenlythere，corampublico，inourhansom，kisshim。Afterall，Ithought，thethingwasn’tsoverybad。
　　ButitwasonlywhenweopenedtheparcelsthatIreallybegantobereassured。Threeofthemcontainedboxesofsoldiers，quiteordinaryleadsoldiers，butofsogoodaqualityastomakeGipaltogetherforgetthatoriginallytheseparcelshadbeenMagicTricksoftheonlygenuinesort，andthefourthcontainedakitten，alittlelivingwhitekitten，inexcellenthealthandappetiteandtemper。
　　Isawthisunpackingwithasortofprovisionalrelief。Ihungaboutinthenurseryforquiteanunconscionabletime……
　　Thathappenedsixmonthsago。AndnowIambeginningtobelieveitisallright。Thekittenhadonlythemagicnaturaltoallkittens，andthesoldiersseemassteadyacompanyasanycolonelcoulddesire。AndGip——？
　　TheintelligentparentwillunderstandthatIhavetogocautiouslywithGip。
　　ButIwentsofarasthisoneday。Isaid，“Howwouldyoulikeyoursoldierstocomealive，Gip，andmarchaboutbythemselves？“
　　“Minedo，“saidGip。“IjusthavetosayawordIknowbeforeIopenthelid。“
　　“Thentheymarchaboutalone？“
　　“Oh，QUITE，dadda。Ishouldn’tlikethemiftheydidn’tdothat。“
　　Idisplayednounbecomingsurprise，andsincethenIhavetakenoccasiontodropinuponhimonceortwice，unannounced，whenthesoldierswereabout，butsofarIhaveneverdiscoveredthemperforminginanythinglikeamagicalmanner。
　　It’ssodifficulttotell。
　　There’salsoaquestionoffinance。Ihaveanincurablehabitofpayingbills。IhavebeenupanddownRegentStreetseveraltimes，lookingforthatshop。Iaminclinedtothink，indeed，thatinthatmatterhonourissatisfied，andthat，sinceGip’snameandaddressareknowntothem，Imayverywellleaveittothesepeople，whoevertheymaybe，tosendintheirbillintheirowntime。