. After it was all over he said, "Well, I was never so
disgracefully executed before in all my life; and I hope the next time
you chop off my head, you'll get some one else to do it.'"

"I don't understand," said Marjorie, who was dreadfully puzzled. "How
_could_ he say all that after he was executed?"

"Why not?" asked the Court Glover, composedly.

"Why, people can't talk when they are killed, you know," said Marjorie.

"He--he--he!" sniggered the Executioner, putting his hand up to his
mouth under his mask.

The Court Glover frowned at him. "Bless you, they aren't _killed_!" he
said.

"Not killed, when they are executed!" cried Marjorie.

The Executioner giggled louder than ever, and shook his head.

"What do you mean?" asked Marjorie.

"Don't ask me, I'm duff and dem," said the Executioner.

"He means dem and duff," explained the Court Glover, considerately.

Marjorie laughed, and so did Fidge. "You are both wrong," she said. "You
mean deaf and dumb, I suppose. But I don't think that _can_ be the case,
for he must have heard me, because he answered my question, you know."

"I didn't say anything about being deaf or dumb, either. I simply said I
was duff and dem, and I defy you to prove to the contrary," said the
Executioner, stubbornly.

Marjorie was quite bewildered; but there was no time for further
argument, for, just then, Dick and the Archaeopteryx returned, supporting
the Dodo (who appeared half dead with fright), and followed by the
Palaeotherium and the Eteraedarium, walking arm in arm.

"Ah! now we will settle this little matter," said the Court Glover,
placing himself in an imposing attitude, and motioning the Executioner
to stand a little way behind him.

The Dodo prostrated himself before them, the tears streaming from his
eyes, and the offending gloves thrown on the ground in front of him.

"Miserable fowl!" began the Court Glover.

The Dodo winced.

"To what degraded depths have you sunken! I find you here hob-a-nobbing
with _thingummybobs_ and _what's-his-names_."

"Here, I say, hold on!" interrupted the Archaeopteryx. "If you mean us,
you know, we are----"

"_Thingummybobs_ and _what's-his-names_," repeated the Court Glover,
waving his hand contemptuously. "Was it to create an impression amongst
such creatures as _these_ that you ran off with the very best pair of
white kid gloves in the whole collection belonging to His Importance the
Little Panjandrum? Oh, Dodo! Dodo! Dodo!