ng animal, and by some means, either fear or
admiration, he obtained a complete ascendancy over the inhabitants of
Briskford. He induced them to build him a temple of solid gold, and
while they were doing this the river bed became choked up and the stream
was diverted into another channel far from the town. Since then the
place is fallen into decay. The fields are parched and untilled. Such
water as the people need for drinking is drawn by great labour from a
well. Washing has become shockingly infrequent.'

'Are we to teach the dirty chaps to wash?' asked Philip in disgust.

'Do not interrupt,' said Mr. Noah. 'You destroy the thread of my
narrative. Where was I?'

'Washing infrequent,' said Lucy; 'but if the fields are dried up, what
do they live on?'

'Pine-apples,' replied Mr. Noah, 'which grow freely and do not need much
water. Gathering these is the sole industry of this degraded people.
Pine-apples are not considered a fruit but a vegetable,' he added
hastily, seeing another question trembling on Philip's lips. 'Whatever
of their waking time can be spared from the gathering and eating of the
pine-apples is spent in singing choric songs in honour of the Great
Sloth. And even this time is short, for such is his influence on the
Somnolentians that when he sleeps they sleep too, and,' added Mr. Noah
impressively, 'he sleeps almost all the time. Your deed is to devise
some means of keeping the Great Sloth awake and busy. And I think you've
got your work cut out. When you've disposed of the Great Sloth you can
report yourself to me here. I shall remain here for some little time. I
need a holiday. The parrot will accompany you. It knows its way about as
well as any bird in the land. Good-night. And good luck! You will excuse
my not being down to breakfast.'

And the next morning, dewy-early, Philip and Lucy and the parrot went
aboard the yacht and loosed her from her moorings, and Lucy showed
Philip how to steer, and the parrot sat on the mast and called out
instructions.

They made for the mouth of a river. ('I never built a river,' said
Philip. 'No,' said the parrot, 'it came out of the poetry book.') And
when they were hungry they let down the anchor and went into the cabin
for breakfast. And two people sprang to meet them, almost knocking
Lucy down with the violence of their welcome. The two people were Max
and Brenda.

[Illustration: He induced them to build him a temple of solid gold.]

'Oh, you dear dogs