inary size, was a famous Bug-Wizard in his day, and claimed descent
from the original protoplasm which constituted the nucleus of the
present planetary satellite upon which we exist."

"That's all right," returned Miss Chim. "Tell that to our king, and
he'll decorate you with the medal of the Omnipotent Order of Onerous
Orthographers, Are you ready to meander?"

The Woggle-Bug did not like the flippant tone in which maiden spoke;
but he at once followed her.

Presently they came to a tall hedge surrounding the Inner Jungle, and
without this hedge stood a patrol of brown bears who wore red
soldier-caps and carried gold-plated muskets in their hands.

"We call this the bearier," said Miss Chim, pointing to the soldiers,
"because they oblige all strangers to paws."

"I should think it was a bearicade," remarked the Woggle-Bug.

But when they approached the gateway the officer in charge saluted
respectfully to Miss Chim, and permitted her to escort the Woggle-Bug
into the sacred precincts of the Inner Jungle.

Here his eyes were soon opened to their widest capacity in genuine
astonishment.

The Jungle was as clean and as well-regulated as any city of men the
Insect had ever visited. Just within the gate a sleek antelope was
running a pop-corn stand, and a little further on a screech-owl stood
upon a stump playing a violin, while across her breast was a sign
reading: "I am blind--at present."

As they walked up the street they came to a big grey monkey turning a
hand-organ, and attached to a cord was a little nigger-boy whom the
monkey sent into the crowd of animals, standing by to gather up the
pennies, pulling him back every now and then by means of the cord.

"There's a curious animal for you," said Miss Chim, pointing to the
boy. "Those horrid things they call men, whether black or white, seem
to me the lowest of all created beasts."

"I have seen them in a highly civilized state," replied the Woggle-Bug,
"and they're really further advanced than you might suppose."

But Miss Chim gave a scornful laugh, and pulled him away to where a
hippopotamus sat under the shade of a big tree, mopping his brow with a
red handkerchief--for the weather was somewhat sultry. Before the hip
was a table covered with a blue cloth, and upon the cloth was
embroidered the words: "Professor Hipmus, Fortune Teller."

"Want your fortune told?" asked Miss Chim.

"I don't mind," replied the Woggle-Bug.

"I'll read your hand," said