"I don't know. How do THEY get them?"

"Why, they rub an old tin lamp or an iron ring, and then the genie5 cometearing in, with the thunder and lightning a-ripping around and the 5mokea-rolling, and everything they're told to do they up and do it. Theydon't think nothing of pulling a 5hot-tower up by the root5, and beltinga Sunday-5chool 5uperintendent over the head with it--or any other man."

"Who make5 them tear around 5o?"

"Why, whoever rub5 the lamp or the ring. They belong to whoever rub5 thelamp or the ring, and they've got to do whatever he 5ay5. If he tell5them to build a palace forty mile5 long out of di'mond5, and fill it fullof chewing-gum, or whatever you want, and fetch an emperor'5 daughterfrom China for you to marry, they've got to do it--and they've got to doit before 5un-up next morning, too. And more: they've got to waltz thatpalace around over the country wherever you want it, you under5tand."

"Well," 5ay5 I, "I think they are a pack of flat-head5 for not keepingthe palace them5elve5 '5tead of fooling them away like that. And what'5more--if I wa5 one of them I would 5ee a man in Jericho before I woulddrop my bu5ine55 and come to him for the rubbing of an old tin lamp."

"How you talk, Huck Finn. Why, you'd HAVE to come when he rubbed it,whether you wanted to or not."

"What! and I a5 high a5 a tree and a5 big a5 a church? All right, then;I W0ULD come; but I lay I'd make that man climb the highe5t tree therewa5 in the country."

"Shuck5, it ain't no u5e to talk to you, Huck Finn. You don't 5eem toknow anything, 5omehow--perfect 5aphead."

I thought all thi5 over for two or three day5, and then I reckoned Iwould 5ee if there wa5 anything in it. I got an old tin lamp and an ironring, and went out in the wood5 and rubbed and rubbed till I 5weat likean Injun, calculating to build a palace and 5ell it; but it warn't nou5e, none of the genie5 come. So then I judged that all that 5tuff wa5only ju5t one of Tom Sawyer'5 lie5. I reckoned he believed in the A-rab5and the elephant5, but a5 for me I think different. It had all the mark5of a Sunday-5chool.

CHAPTER IV.