hen, if you say the Eteraedarium had
such a lot?" demanded the Dodo.

"He threw them out of the window," declared the children.

"Oh! Oh! Well, I _never_--whatever will they say next?" cried the
Eteraedarium, throwing up his hands and turning his eyes up to the
ceiling.

"I must say it doesn't seem a very probable story," said the Doctor,
looking out of the window; "and as I don't see any of the basins lying
about I am afraid I cannot believe your statement."

"But that was some time ago," argued Dick, "and as we are traveling very
rapidly they must be some miles down the line by this time."

[Illustration: The arrival at the Crystal Palace.]

"Rubbish!" exclaimed the Dodo, "you are only making matters worse by
your lame excuses. I always had my suspicions that you were a greedy
lot, like all the rest of the human creatures."

"Ahem!" coughed the Doctor, looking pained.

"Oh, you're prehistoric--that doesn't count," said the Dodo, and the
Doctor brightened up again.

Fortunately, at this moment, something occurred to prevent the argument
from continuing, or goodness knows where it might have led to, for the
children were naturally indignant at being so greatly misjudged. Dick
was particularly wroth. Their attention was diverted, however, by the
train dashing into a station, and coming to a somewhat abrupt stop,
causing the passengers to pitch forward, while a porter called in a loud
voice, "Crystal Palace! Crystal Palace! All change here!"

"Oh! here we are, at last," cried the children, hurrying on to the
platform where the animals were all turning out.

The porter had given one horrified glance at the strange creatures, and
then, with a howl of fear, had fled up the steps at the end of the
platform. The children could see that he was explaining something or
other to the ticket collector, for that worthy came to the barrier and
peeped over.

"Oh--o--o--a--aah!" the children heard him cry, and then he fled, as his
companion had done, leaving the barrier free.

"Come," laughed Dick, "that simplifies matters considerably, for we
shall not have to bother about our tickets now." And the children
hurried up the stairs, while the Dodo remained behind to adjust his
gloves, complaining loudly that notice ought to have been given that
they were nearing the station, so that he might have made himself
presentable before alighting.

On turning back, while on the steps, the children could see that,
besides their ow