Part 2 (1/2)

He began hitting whizzing forehands and backhands at sharp angles across the court, making Mr. Lambchop look foolish as he raced back and forth, getting very red in the face and missing practically every shot.

The other Lambchops grew angry, as did Prince Haraz. ”This need not continue, you know,” he whispered to Stanley.

Just then, Mr. Lambchop came skidding to a halt before them, banging his knee with his racket as he missed yet another of the champion's powerful shots.

”Ha, ha! This is how I I give lessons!” shouted Tom McRude. give lessons!” shouted Tom McRude.

Mr. Lambchop looked at Stanley, then at Prince Haraz. ”Okay,” Stanley said, and the genie smiled a little smile.

”Thank you,” said Mr. Lambchop. Returning to the court, he called out to the crowd. ”Ladies and gentlemen, I will try my serve again!”

Across the net, Tom McRude gave a nasty laugh and slashed his big racket through the air.

Mr. Lambchop served a ball, not into the net this time, but fast as a bullet right where it was supposed to go. Tom McRude's mouth fell open as the ball whizzed past him. ”Out!” he shouted. ”That ball was out!”

Voices rose from the crowd. ”Shame on you!” ... ”The ball was in in!” ... ”What a liar!” ... ”In, in, in!”

Tom McRude shook his fist. ”I'll bet you can't do that again!”

Mr. Lambchop served three more b.a.l.l.s, each even faster than the first one, and as perfectly placed. Tom McRude could not even touch them, though the last one bounced up into his nose.

Then Mr. Lambchop rallied with him, gliding swiftly about the court and returning every shot with ease. With powerful forehands, he made Tom McRude run from corner to corner; with little drop shots, he drew the champion up to the net, then lobbed high shots to send him racing back again. n.o.body has ever played such great tennis as Mr. Lambchop played that day.

Tom McRude was soon too tired, and too angry, to continue. He threw down his racket and jumped on it.

”You're just lucky!” he yelled. ”Besides, I have a cold! And the sun was in my eyes the whole time!” Pus.h.i.+ng his way through the crowd, he ran out of the park.

There was tremendous cheering for Mr. Lambchop, who just smiled modestly and waved his racket in a friendly way. Then he came over to where the other Lambchops and Prince Haraz were standing with the TV-news director.

”You're really good good,” the director said. ”Frankly, you looked terrible when you first went out there.”

”It takes me a while to get warmed up,” Mr. Lambchop said, and led his family away.

Leaving the park, Mrs. Lambchop signed many more autographs, and a reporter from Famous Faces Famous Faces magazine was waiting to interview her at home. magazine was waiting to interview her at home.

”You'll be on the cover of our next issue,” said the reporter. ”How much do you weigh? Will there be a movie about your life? Who gave you your first kiss?”

”None of your business!” said Mr. Lambchop, and the reporter went away.

They watched the evening news on television, hoping Mr. Lambchop's tennis would be shown, but only Mrs. Lambchop appeared, with Tom McRude in the background. ”The celebrated Harriet Lambchop was in the park today,” said the newscaster, after which came a close-up of Mrs. Lambchop saying, ”I'm glad my fans are having such a lovely day,” and that was that.

Dinner was interrupted several times by phone calls for Mrs. Lambchop from newspaper and television people. The calls bothered Mr. Lambchop, but not the Liophant, who ate four pork chops, a jar of peanut b.u.t.ter, a quart of potato salad, and the rubber mat from under his dish.

4.

The Brothers Fly ”I'm not complaining,” said Arthur, complaining, ”but it's not fair. Some people have Liophants, or get famous. I want to be President, or as strong as Mighty Man, but all I got was one minute with an Askit Basket we can't even use anymore.”

It was after dinner, and the brothers were in their bedroom with Prince Haraz, all in pajamas.

”It's not my fault, Arthur.” The genie looked hurt. ”I just follow orders. Rub, I appear. Wish, I grant. That's it.”

Stanley felt sorry for his brother. ”I don't think you should be President, Arthur,” he said. ”But I'll wish for you to be the strongest man in the world. I wish it, Prince Haraz!”

”Oh, good!” said Arthur.

He waited, but nothing happened. ”Darn! It didn't work!” Disappointed, he punched his left hand with his right fist.

”Ofortable, and however they wished to go, up or down, forward or back, was how they went. It was like swimming in soft, invisible water, but without the effort of swimming. Prince Haraz gave advice as the brothers glided happily about the room: ”Point your toes.... Heads up! ... Good, very good.... Yes, I think you're ready now!”

He opened a window and leaned out. ”Hmmm.... This breeze may be coolish higher up. We'd better wear something extra.”

Stanley and Arthur put on bathrobes and gloves, and the genie chose a red parka and a dragon-face ski mask. Then he said, ”Away we go!” and the brothers floated through the window after him, out into the night.

Up! Up! UP! they went, leveling off now and then to practice speeding, but mostly rising steadily higher. Stanley and Arthur flew side by side, gaining confidence from each other, and the genie kept an eye on them from behind.

It was a beautiful night. The sky above them was full of stars. Below them the lights of the city twinkled as brightly as the stars. The brothers' white bathrobes and the genie's red parka shone in the moonlight.

They flew above the big park, where an orchestra was giving a concert. Music floated up to them: the clear, sweet tones of flutes and violins and trumpets; the deep, strong notes of cymbals and drums.

”Oh, I'm enjoying this!” Prince Haraz called through his dragon mask. ”So different from inside that lamp!”

The three fliers joined hands and circled the blaze of light from where the orchestra sat. It was like ice-skating to music at a rink, but much more fun.

In the distance, the wing lights of a big airplane blinked across the sky.

”Let's chase it!” Stanley shouted.

Prince Haraz laughed. ”Go on! I'll catch up!”

Whoooos.h.!.+ Whoooos.h.!.+ Holding their arms by their sides, Stanley and Arthur flashed like rockets across the sky, their bathrobes flapping like the sails of a boat. The big airplane was fast, but the brothers were faster. Catching up, they flew around and around it, looking through the windows at the pa.s.sengers reading and eating from tiny trays. Holding their arms by their sides, Stanley and Arthur flashed like rockets across the sky, their bathrobes flapping like the sails of a boat. The big airplane was fast, but the brothers were faster. Catching up, they flew around and around it, looking through the windows at the pa.s.sengers reading and eating from tiny trays.