ime,
produced a large document and began to read.

CHAPTER V.

THE KING OF THE FISHES.

"Um--ah--that is to say--er--notwithstanding, nevertheless, likewise
also, and as is herein aforesaid," began the Ki-Wi, in an important
voice.

"Hold on!" cried Dick. "We can't understand all that, you know. Why
don't you say what you have to say in English?"

"It is English," declared the Ki-Wi, in an aggrieved voice, "and very
good English too."

"Of course it is," chimed in the Sage.

"Well we don't understand it, anyhow," maintained Dick. "It doesn't seem
to mean anything at all."

"Perhaps, Dick, dear," said Marjorie, "Mr. Sage will explain it to us.
Let's see--it began----"

"'Notwithstanding, nevertheless, likewise, and as is herein aforesaid,'"
repeated the Ki-Wi.

"Well, I'll explain it, if you wish with pleasure," said the Sage,
"though I can't see in the least why it should be necessary. It seems to
me to perfectly simple. To begin with--'Notwithstanding' describes our
position just now--Not-with-standing, or _not standing with_ the Ki-Wi.
He is standing, while we are sitting down, you see; then 'nevertheless'
means of course the same as _always-the-greater_, which exactly
describes me. You see, my great learning and cleverness always makes me
greater than the people I am speaking to, and consequently
_never-the-less_. The next word is also descriptive of myself.
'Likewise,' or _like a wise man_, which, I am sure, you will all agree
that I am; and 'herein' means that my brains are all _in here_," said
the Sage, tapping his head. "While 'aforesaid'--the last word--means
that I have a strong head, or a _force-head_, do you see?"

"Is the rest of the paper all about yourself, too, Sir?" asked Marjorie.

"Yes," was the complacent reply. "Go on, Ki-Wi."

"I'm afraid we can't stop," interrupted Dick.

"You see, we have got to hunt up that wretched Dodo, and perhaps we had
better be going now."

"Yes, we must be going now," chimed in Fidge, jumping up eagerly, for
all this rigmarole had been very uninteresting to him.

"Oh, I'm sorry you can't stay," said the Sage, in a disappointed voice.
"I could have told you such a lot more about myself. You do think I'm
clever though, don't you?" he asked, anxiously.

"Oh, immensely!" said the children, politely.

"Thanks!" said the Sage. "Will you take a few onions with you as a
memento of your visit?"

"No thank you," said Marjorie, hurriedly.

"They wo