The children arrived at the castle and found Mabel's aunt reading a romance novel.
"Excuse me," said Gerald, "I believe you've lost your niece."
"I didn't lose Mabel. She left."
"Did you get her note?" asked Kathleen.
"Yes, and I'm happy she's living with a rich lady."
Jimmy couldn't be quiet a moment longer.
He had to tell Mabel's aunt the truth.
"Mabel's invisible! She's standing right beside me."
"Don't lie to me!" The aunt glared at Jimmy.
"Please remove this boy.
I'm quite happy about Mabel."
"Well!" said Gerald.
He was puzzled by this aunt who didn't care about her missing niece.
"But what will Mabel's parents say?"
"Mabel's parents are dead," the aunt said calmly.
The children talked to Mabel's aunt for a few more minutes.
She gave them permission to wander over the castle grounds.
But she still didn't seem concerned about Mabel.
"Good-bye, children," she said and went back to reading.
When the children were outside again, Mabel said,
"I knew she'd believe my note.
She reads lots of romance novels.
Strange things always happen in her books."
Mabel suggested they walk to the Temple of Flora.
When they were seated, she said,
"I'm hungry, and you can't keep stealing food for me.
I'll have to pretend to be a ghost in the castle."
"You must stay with us until you can remove the ring," Kathleen said kindly.
"I think we need to earn some money for food," said Mabel.
"Let's go to the fair.
Gerald can do magic tricks for money."
"But I don't know any tricks!" said Gerald.
"Don't worry," said Mabel. "I'm invisible.
I can make it look like you're doing tricks."
The fair was about half a mile away.
Soon they could hear music from the carousel.
Kathleen and Jimmy blended into the crowd while Gerald and Mabel stood in front of a tent.
"Ladies and gentlemen," called out Gerald.
"My invisible assistant can make money disappear."
A crowd began to gather, and Kathleen and Jimmy joined in.
Gerald laid nine pennies on the ground.
Mabel picked them up and put them in her pocket to make them disappear.
The audience clapped.
"If you want to see more magic, I'll need to see more money," said Gerald.
The audience dropped more coins onto the ground.
Then Mabel made more things vanish.
Other things appeared to move around by themselves.
"For my final trick, I will vanish!" said Gerald.
He stepped back, and Mabel wrapped her shawl around him.
But nothing happened.
"He can't do it!" someone yelled.
The crowd pushed forward in anger.
"I wish I could put you in my pocket," Mabel whispered to Gerald.
"Then you'd be invisible."
She squeezed her hands together.
"Hey! The ring is loose!"
"Come on!" shouted a man in the crowd.
"We paid for a show."
Gerald whispered to Mabel, "Go into the tent.
Slip the ring under the canvas to me.
When I see you in the crowd, I'll make myself disappear and catch up with you."
Mabel did just that.
"I'm back," she said to a surprised Kathleen and Jimmy.
"Gerald's wearing the ring.
Let's get out of here."
As the children walked away, they heard Gerald announce, "Now I will vanish."
Then the crowd roared, and the children knew he had really disappeared this time.
After a few minutes, they heard footsteps on the road but saw no one.
"Hello, I'm over here," said Gerald.
"Good," said Mabel. "I want my ring back."
"Well, you can't have it," Gerald answered.
"Because I can't get it off!"