have just looked out," said Dick, "it's
all pitch dark."

"Yes," murmured Marjorie; "Underground Railway to Crystal Palace; that's
how we went last time, you know--part of the way, at any rate--let's go
to sleep now. Good-night, Dick."

"Good-night."

"Nighty, nighty!" shouted Fidge.

"Good-night, Fidge, dear," was his sister's reply, in a very tired
voice.

A moment afterwards the train gave a lurch, and there was a crash and a
loud cry from one of the lower berths.

Dick hastily scrambled down to ascertain what was the matter, and found
that the Dodo had tumbled out of bed.

"Bless my gloves and beak!" ejaculated the bird, as he picked himself
up; "it's enough to frighten one out of their lives, isn't it?"

"Have you hurt yourself much?" inquired Dick, kindly.

"No; I don't think so," said the Dodo, carefully feeling himself all
over to see if any bones were broken.

"How do you like my nightcap?" he inquired, suddenly and inconsequently.
"Does it suit me?"

"Oh, it's all right, I suppose," said Dick, laughing in spite of himself
at the bird's vanity. "Where did you get it?"

"Found it under my pillow," announced the bird, triumphantly. "That's
why I tumbled out of bed, so that some one at any rate, should come and
see me in it. Nobody else seems to be coming, though," he added, looking
anxiously up and down, "so I shall go to bed again; but I shall leave my
curtains wide open, so that if anybody passes by during the night, or in
the morning, they will see how beautiful I am when I am asleep."

At that moment there was an awful noise like a deep groan, which grew
and grew in volume till it sounded like distant thunder, and then faded
away and ended up with a comical little whistle. Again and again it was
repeated.

"Oh, Dick! what is it?" called Marjorie, putting her head outside the
curtains.

"I can't think," said Dick, in a puzzled voice.

"Where have I heard that sound before?" exclaimed the Dodo, putting one
finger of the glove to his forehead, and striking a thoughtful attitude.

"Ah! I have it," he cried. "Of course, it's a prehistoric snore--the
Doctor is asleep."

And, sure enough, that was what the noise was. By listening outside the
curtains of his berth they discovered, without a doubt, that it
proceeded from there.

"What a frightful row," cried Dick, indignantly. "We can't go to sleep
with all that noise going on. Let's wake him up."

"Oh, no!" cried the Dodo, "not for worlds.