t Home," he
grumbled. "It's all your fault, too," he declared, ungratefully
disregarding the fact that Dick had just rescued him from a watery
grave. "What do you want with me, anyhow?"

"Why, you see," hastily explained Dick, "the Ambassador to the Little
Panjandrum sent us in search of you, and if we don't take you back in
less than a week we're to be--er--er--something with an awfully long
name----"

"I know--Subtransexdistricated, that's it, isn't it?" said the Dodo.
"They always threaten to do that to people. Ough! its perfectly
horrible" he cried, shuddering.

"What's it like?" asked the children, in an awe-stricken whisper.

"Why," explained the Dodo, "you are mygrylaled in pslmsms till you
saukle, and then you are taken out and gopheled on both sides for a
fortnight. Ough! it's dreadful to think about, and I wouldn't dream of
putting you to the risk of having it done to you. So I suppose I shall
have to go back," he added, with a sigh. "It's jolly awkward, though!
Oh, I _hate_ him!" he said, stamping his claw violently.

"Who?" inquired the children.

"The Little Panjandrum," was the reply. "Nasty, consequential little
prig! And who is he, I should like to know? Panjandrums are not to be
mentioned in the same breath as Dodos--we are a much more ancient family
than they are, and, besides, _we_ are extinct," he said, proudly.

"Oh, yes, of course," agreed Dick, who did not care to go into the Dodo
private grievances, and who certainly did not care to run the risk of
being "gopheled on both sides," whatever that might mean; "but don't you
think we had better be going now?"

"How are we going to get back?" demanded the Dodo, abruptly. "I can't
swim and I can't fly. You'll have to carry me."

"Good gracious!" exclaimed Marjorie, in dismay. "I'm sure we can't do
that! Why, you are as big as we are!"

"Well, I'm sure I don't know what is to be done," said the Dodo. "I
won't get into the water again for _any one_, so there."

Just then, Fidge, who had been playing on the shore, ran back with the
news that the little thin fish wanted to speak to them.

"Oh! Sorry to trouble you," he began, popping his head out of the water
and raising his hat politely; "but His Majesty sent me to inquire how
you were getting on. I see you have found him," he added, pointing to
the Dodo.

"Yes; but now we are in another fix," cried the children; "we don't know
how to get the creature home."

[Illustration: "The Dodo cut