of the old Roman chariots,
to the shafts of which a sleepy-looking sloth-bear was attached.

"Ha! ha! what a funny horse," laughed Fidge. "It is a horse, isn't it,
Dick?"

"No," said Dick; "I don't think so."

"Horse! no, indeed," said the Dodo. "It's a kind of camel."

"I ain't," said the sloth-bear, with a yawn.

"You shouldn't say 'ain't,'" said the Dodo, rebukingly. "What are you,
then?"

There was no answer, the creature had gone to sleep.

"Wake up! wake up!" cried the Dodo, shaking him violently. "The idea of
dropping off to sleep when any one is talking to you!"

"I thought you were going to preach," explained the sloth-bear. "You
began talking about something that I shouldn't do or say, and I always
go to sleep when people talk to me like that--it's so stupid of them."

"Where are you going to?" asked the Dodo.

"I don't know," was the reply. "Where are you?"

"We want to get to the place where the steamers start for England,"
explained Marjorie.

"Jump in, then," said the sloth-bear, jerking his head in the direction
of the cart; and the children, highly delighted at the prospect of a
ride, all scrambled in.

Dick took the reins, and Marjorie made herself comfortable beside him,
while Fidge dangled his legs over the back of the "chariot," the Dodo
solemnly squatting down at his side, with his gloves carefully
displayed, and his necktie properly adjusted.

"Now then," said Dick, shaking the reins, "we are ready to start. Go on,
please."

There was no answer, and it transpired that the creature was asleep
again.

"Good gracious!" said the Dodo, impatiently, "we shall never get
anywhere at this rate. I say, do wake up," he cried, going up to the
sloth-bear and giving him a good shake.

"Oh! are you ready?" said that individual, waking up slowly. "Come on,
then!" and he took two or three steps forward, and then stopped to rest,
his eyes gradually closing, and his head beginning to sink.

"Come, come!" said the Dodo, getting in front of him, grasping the
reins, and pulling with all his might. "I shall get very angry with you
in a minute. It's perfectly ridiculous going on in this way; however do
you imagine we are to get to our destination if you waste time in this
manner?"

The answer was a loud snore from the sloth-bear, who had once more
fallen into a deep sleep.

CHAPTER XI.

THE SKIPPER OF THE ARGONAUT.

"Well, of all the stupid creatures," said the Dodo, "I think that thi