“Point out … sapphire of soldiers … no wish … day after tomorrow,” Abdullah panted.

“He can give you one in advance again,” said the soldier.

Blue steam fluttered angrily from the bottle in Abdullah’s hand. “I gave you your last wish only on condition you left me alone,” said the genie. “All I ask is to be left to sorrow alone in my bottle. And do you let me? No. At the first sign of trouble, you start wailing for extra wishes. Doesn’t anyone consider me around here?”

“Emergency … O hyacinth … bluebell among bottled spirits,” Abdullah puffed. “Transport us … far off—”

“Oh, no, you don’t!” said the soldier. “You don’t wish us far off without Midnight. Have him make us invisible until we find her.”

“Blue jade of genies—” gasped Abdullah.

“If there’s one thing I hate,” interrupted the genie, bellying forth in a lavender cloud, “more than this rain and being pestered for wishes in advance all the time, it’s being coaxed for wishes in flowery language. If you want a wish, talk straight.”

“Take us to Kingsbury,” puffed Abdullah.

“Make those fellows lose us,” the soldier said at the same moment.

They glared at each other as they ran.

“Make up your minds,” said the genie. He folded his arms and streamed contemptuously out behind them. “It’s all one to me what you choose to waste another wish on. Just let me remind you that it will be your last one for two days.”

“I’m not leaving Midnight,” said the soldier.

“If we are … waste a wish,” panted Abdullah, “then should … usefully … foolish fortune hunter … forward our … quest … Kingsbury.”

“Then you can go without me,” said the soldier.

“The horsemen are only fifty feet away,” remarked the genie.

They looked over their shoulders and discovered this was quite true. Abdullah hurriedly gave in. “Then make them unable to see us,” he panted.

“Have us unseen until Midnight finds us,” added the soldier. “I know she will. She’s that clever.”

Abdullah had a glimpse of an evil grin spreading on the genie’s smoky face and of smoky arms making certain gestures.