was the response.

"Oh! the Dodo! Why, he was here just now. I expect he has gone off with
the Archaeopteryx and the others," said Dick.

"The what!" exclaimed the Court Glover.

"The er--Archaeopteryx," said Dick, hesitatingly, fearing that he might
have mispronounced the name.

"H'm! You see," said the Court Glover, addressing the Executioner, "to
what depths this misguided bird has fallen, to actually associate with
an animal bearing a name of _that_ description. I suppose it _is_ an
animal, by-the-bye," he added, turning to the children.

"Well," laughed Marjorie, "we are not quite sure. The Dodo says it's a
kind of lizard-like bird, or bird-like lizard."

"It's got feathers," chimed in Fidge.

"Ough! The miserable creature doesn't even know what it is _itself_, I
expect," said the Court Glover, in tones of disgust.

"The others," said Dick reflectively, "are evidently animals--the
Palaeotherium and the Eteraedarium, you know."

"Look here," interrupted the Court Glover, severely, "you really must
_not_ use such disgraceful language. I am not accustomed to it."

"Why, they are only names," explained Dick, smilingly.

"Very well, then. Call the creatures _thingummybobs_; I shall know what
you mean--only don't use those other awful words again, they're
outrageous. Now then, to come to the point--where is that Dodo?"

"I'll try and find him," said Dick, obligingly, running off in the
direction of some bushes, behind which he imagined that he might
possibly find the runaways.

"Is your--er--chopper ready?" said the Court Glover, turning to the
executioner.

"He--he--he--ye--es!" giggled that worthy.

"Oh! If you please," pleaded Marjorie, "I do hope you are not going to
execute the poor Dodo. I'm sure he's _very_ sorry that he took the
Little Panjandrum's gloves, and he will give them back, I know. Please,
_please_, forgive him."

"He--he--he!" giggled the Executioner again.

"Do be quiet," shouted the Court Glover.

"Yes, I don't see anything to laugh at," said Marjorie indignantly.

"Oh, he's _always_ laughing," declared the Court Glover; "that's why he
has to wear a mask--so that people shan't see him laughing while he is
chopping off their heads. It's so rude, you know, to giggle at a time
like that, isn't it?"

"I should think so, indeed," cried Marjorie, in a horrified voice;
"perfectly disgraceful, I call it."

"That's what the last man who was executed said," declared the Court
Glover