"Well, it did," Cimorene told him. "And we don't have time to stand around arguing. We have to get to the Enchanted Forest and rescue a friend of mine. So could you just tell us what's wrong with our carpet?"
"Nonsense," Telemain muttered. "You must have done more than frame a question." He intercepted a look from Cimorene and sighed. "Oh, very well, I'll examine the carpet. Spread it out so I can see all of it at once."
They unrolled the carpet the rest of the way. Telemain's eyebrow's rose in surprise at the sight of the teddy bears, but he did not comment, for which Mendanbar was grateful. When the carpet was stretched full-length on the meadow, Telemain paced twice around it, frowning and gesturing occasionally. Then he turned to Mendanbar and Cimorene and shook his head.
"The landing compensator has a gap in it, and the flight regulator has completely deteriorated," he said. "It needs more than I can do without special tools and yarn for re-weaving. You'll have to take it to a repair shop."
"Wonderful," Cimorene said sarcastically. "This would happen with a borrowed carpet."
"Can you recommend a good place?" Mendanbar asked Telemain.
"Preferably somewhere close," he added, noting the pink tint of the sky to the west. The sun would be completely down in another hour, and he didn't want to wander around the Mountains of Morning in the dark.
"Or can you send us straight to the Enchanted Forest?" Cimorene asked.
"We're in kind of a hurry."
"The Enchanted Forest requires a complex and destination-specific enhancement to the basic transportation spell module," Telemain explained.
"But the repair shop is simple."
He raised his left hand and made the same circular gesture he had before. "Gypsy Jack's," he said, and clapped, and the meadow and the mountain melted and flowed. The mountain bulged higher, and the meadow flattened and grew rockier. A long, rectangular section of ground squeezed upward and settled into the shape of a narrow house on wheels.
"There," Telemain said with great satisfaction. "We've arrived."
They were standing in front of the wheeled house. At least, Mendanbar assumed it was the front because there was a door at the end of the long side facing them. Two iron steps, black and worn with age, led up to the door.
The house itself was painted a cheerful blue with yellow shutters and a yellow trim around the door. There were four windows on the side facing Mendanbar, lined up in a neat row next to the door like chicks following a hen. The roof above the windows was low but not quite flat, and covered with wooden shingles that looked brand-new. There were four pairs of wheels, too, the rims painted blue to match the house and the spokes painted yellow to match the shutters. A beautifully lettered sign on a stick had been pounded into the ground next to the door: "Ask About Our Low prices!"
Mendanbar looked at Cimorene. Cimorene looked from Mendanbar to the wheeled house to Telemain.
"Don't do that again without asking first," she said to the magician.
"I thought you'd be pleased," Telemain said. "Look at all the time you've saved."
"Asking doesn't take much time."
"Where are we, exactly?" Mendanbar put in before they could start arguing. "And what is that?" He pointed at the house on wheels.
"That is Gypsy Jack's home," Telemain answered. "If anyone can mend that carpet of yours, he can. As to where we are, all I can tell you is that we are still somewhere in the Mountains of Morning. If you want a more precise location, you will have to ask Jack. Assuming he remembers; he moves around a lot."
"How did you find him, then?" Cimorene asked.
"Oh, Jack supplies me with unusual things now and then, when I need them for a spell or an experiment," Telemain said. "I pay him by enchanting his house for him. Any good magician can find his own spells."
"Enchanting his house?" Mendanbar said. "You mean, to keep ogres and things from bothering it, the way you did Herman's?"
Telemain shook his head. "I offered, but Jack wasn't interested. He has his own way of discouraging unpleasant company. No, what he wanted was a spell to keep the paint from fading."
"Why does he need you to put spells on his house?" Cimorene asked.
'Jack isn't a magician," Telemain said. "He does a little bit of every-thing-smithing, gardening, music, tailoring, pretty much any trade you can think of. For example, he designed and built his house.
He has a rare knack for patching up a spell that's wearing thin, but he can't set up a complex enchantment on his own. That's why he deals with me."
One of the windows scraped open and a head poked out. "Yo! You going to stand there all night and maybe get eaten by a dragon? Not that I would dream of interfering with your plans, but if a quick exit is what you want, I got a dozen faster ways, all very cheap."
"Hello, Jack," Telemain called. "I've brought you some customers."
"Customers! Why didn't you say so? I'll be right out." The head vanished and the window screeched closed.
"Customers?" Cimorene said, looking at Telemain.
"You want that carpet fixed, don't you? Jack can-" The door of the house flew open with a bang, and a large man leaped over the steps and landed in front of them. He had a thick black mustache, long black hair, bright black eyes, and a wide white grin. Pushing a soft, baggy cap back from his forehead, he bowed deeply.
"Welcome to my home, friends of Telemain!" he boomed. "And very welcome you are. What's the problem?"
"A little difficulty about transportation, Jack," Telemain said before Mendanbar or Cimorene had quite recovered from the man's abrupt appearance.
"We were hoping you could help."
"No trouble! What do you need? Shoes? I got a barrel full-sandals, clogs, dancing shoes, walking shoes, horse shoes…" His voice trailed off and he looked hopefully at Telemain.
"Nothing that simple," Telemain said. "The difficulty is magical in nature."
"Ah! You want seven-league boots! Well, you're in luck. A pair of them just came in this morning. They're practically brand-new, hardly been used at all. Or there's a swell pair of ruby slippers that'd be perfect for the lady.
I'll throw in the magic belt that goes with them for free. On" "No, no, Jack," Telemain interrupted. "The problem is with this." He stepped aside and let Jack get a good look at the magic carpet.
Jack's eyes narrowed to slits of concentration. He stepped forward and studied the carpet, then paced around it, much as Telemain had done earlier. "No kidding," he said at last. "That carpet's a problem, all right."
"Can you fix it?" Cimorene asked.
"Sure. Give me a week, and she'll be good as new."
"A week? Cimorene looked at him in dismay. "Can't you fix it any faster than that?"
Jack spread his hands out and shrugged. "Maybe, but I can't promise.
It depends on how fast I can get parts."
"Then we'll leave it here and go on without it tomorrow," Mendanbar said. At least they wouldn't have to carry the thing around anymore, and they wouldn't be tempted to use it in spite of its hazards. "You can send it home when it's finished, can't you?"
"Shouldn't be a problem." Jack smiled. "Where do you want it?"
Cimorene hesitated. "You're not one of those Jacks who go around killing giants, are you?"