uld remind you of me," suggested the Sage, wistfully; "Sage and
onions you know."

"No, thanks," said Dick, "I'm sure we shall remember you without."

"Now that's _very_ kind of you," said the Sage, "and I'll do the best I
can to help you in your search for the Dodo. Let's see, where did he say
he was going to?"

"The Equator," said Dick; "but I'm sure we can't go all that way after
him, and get back in a week."

"You could if you went by sea," said the Sage.

"What do you mean?" asked Dick.

"Why, I could give you an introduction to the King of the Fishes, you
know, and he _might_ lend you his dolphins; they travel at a rare pace,
and would get you there in no time."

"Oh, yes," cried Marjorie, "of course we _can_ go under the sea, don't
you know, the paper says so. Wouldn't it be jolly, even if we didn't
find the Dodo?"

"Don't want to be drownded, and get all deaded," objected Fidge.

"You wouldn't be, dear," said Marjorie. "Brother Dick wouldn't take us
anywhere where we should come to any harm."

"How should we get there, I wonder?" asked Dick, thoughtfully.

"I'll show you--come along," said the Sage, getting up and leading the
way.

The children followed, and the little gnomes, now all reduced to their
proper size, came trooping along after them.

Presently they reached the edge of the cliff, and the sea, sparkling in
the sunlight, lay at their feet some distance below.

The Sage, hastily scribbling a note with a piece of pencil, thrust it
into Dick's hand, and crying, "This is the quickest way!" deliberately
pushed the children, one after the other, over the cliff.

Before they had time to realize what had happened, or to become in the
least alarmed, they found themselves slowly and comfortably sinking
through the air; while a shriek of laughter from the gnomes caused them
to look up to the edge of the cliffs, where they beheld all the little
fellows leaning over and waving their pocket-handkerchiefs, while the
Sage and the Ki-Wi stood in their midst.

"Oh!" cried Marjorie, as they descended, "isn't it fortunate we have the
power to float in the air; it would have been an awful plunge otherwise,
wouldn't it?"

"Yes," agreed Dick, reaching out his hand to Fidge, who looked just a
little wee bit frightened. "I wonder what it will be like on the sea."

He had not to speculate long, however, for almost at that moment their
feet touched the water, and they sank down, down, down through the clear