"Well,whydon'tyouhavethree,sir?"saidHerbertWhitecleverly. Thesoldierregardedhimthewaythatmiddleageiswonttoregardpresumptuousyouth."Ihave,"hesaidquietly,andhisblotchyfacewhitened. "Anddidyoureallyhavethethreewishesgranted?"askedMrs.White. "Idid,"saidthesergeant-major,andhisglasstappedagainsthisstrongteeth. "Andhasanybodyelsewished?"persistedtheoldlady. "Thefirstmanhadhisthreewishes.Yes,"wasthereply,"Idon'tknowwhatthefirsttwowere,butthethirdwasfordeath.That'showIgotthepaw." Histonesweresogravethatahushfelluponthegroup. "Ifyou'vehadyourthreewishesit'snogoodtoyounowthenMorris,"saidtheoldmanatlast."Whatdoyoukeepitfor?" "FancyIsuppose,"hesaidslowly."Ididhavesomeideaofsellingit,butIdon'tthinkIwill.Ithascausedmeenoughmischiefalready.Besides,peoplewon'tbuy.Theythinkit'safairytale,someofthem;andthosewhodothinkanythingofitwanttotryitfirstandpaymeafterward." "Ifyoucouldhaveanotherthreewishes,"saidtheoldman,eyeinghimkeenly,"wouldyouhavethem?" "Idon'tknow,"saidtheother."Idon'tknow." Hetookthepaw,anddanglingitbetweenhisforefingerandthumb,suddenlythrewituponthefire.White,withaslightcry,stoopeddownandsnatcheditoff. "Betterletitburn,"saidthesoldiersolemnly. "Ifyoudon'twantitMorris,"saidtheother,"giveittome." "Iwon't."saidhisfrienddoggedly."Ithrewitonthefire.Ifyoukeepit,don'tblamemeforwhathappens.Pitchitonthefirelikeasensibleman." Theothershookhisheadandexaminedhispossessionclosely."Howdoyoudoit?"heinquired. "Holditupinyourrighthand,andwishaloud,"saidtheSergeant-Major,"ButIwarnyouoftheconsequences." "Soundslikethe'ArabianNights'",saidMrs.White,assheroseandbegantosetthesupper."Don'tyouthinkyoumightwishforfourpairsofhandsforme." Herhusbanddrewthetalismanfromhispocket,andallthreeburstintolaughterastheSeargent-Major,withalookofalarmonhisface,caughthimbythearm. "Ifyoumustwish,"hesaidgruffly,"Wishforsomethingsensible." 
