They bought her a pink silk handkerchief, a pair of blue and white vases, a bottle of scent, a packet of Christmas candles, and a cake of soap shaped and coloured like a tomato, and one that was so like an orange that almost any one you had given it to would have tried to peel it--if they liked oranges, of course.

Also they bought a cake with icing on, and the rest of the money they spent on flowers to put in the vases.
When they had arranged all the things on a table, with the candles stuck up on a plate ready to light the moment mother's cab was heard, they washed themselves thoroughly and put on tidier clothes.
Then Robert said, 'Good old Psammead,' and the others said so too.
'But, really, it's just as much good old Phoenix,' said Robert.

'Suppose it hadn't thought of getting the wish!' 'Ah!' said the Phoenix, 'it is perhaps fortunate for you that I am such a competent bird.' 'There's mother's cab,' cried Anthea, and the Phoenix hid and they lighted the candles, and next moment mother was home again.
She liked her presents very much, and found their story of Uncle Reginald and the sovereign easy and even pleasant to believe.
'Good old carpet,' were Cyril's last sleepy words.
'What there is of it,' said the Phoenix, from the cornice-pole..