y," admitted the Dodo; "but," he added, hopefully,
"I can soon learn, you know; and, besides, the advertisement fits me
exactly. I'm sure I'm quick and accurate; and as for my respectability,
look at my gloves! I'm sure any one would engage me directly they saw
what a superior person I was."

"How much do you think the salary will be?" asked Marjorie.

"Oh, I don't know. I suppose they'll be glad to pay me anything I like
to ask," replied the Dodo, "and I shall be sure to ask enough, you may
be certain of that."

"But how are we to get to Norfolk Street, Strand?" persisted Marjorie.
"We don't know where it is."

"Father said, that if we were ever lost, we were to jump into a cab, and
ask to be driven to wherever we wanted to go," suggested Dick,
practically.

[Illustration: "Kept the cabby highly amused."]

"Of course," said the Dodo, "just what I intended doing." And then he
rattled on about what he should do, and buy, when he got the situation,
till at last the train stopped, and the Porter shouted out, "Victoria!"

They all hurried out, and, disregarding the curious glances which their
unusual appearance excited, made their way to the nearest hansom, and
asked to be driven to Norfolk Street.

There was some little difficulty at first, as to how they should all
find room in the cab, but it was finally decided that the Dodo should
sit on the top, while the three children managed to find room inside.

The Dodo, from his elevated position, had a capital view of everything
of interest which they passed, and kept the cabby highly amused by his
exceedingly naive remarks about them all; while, to every exclamation of
surprise or derision, which met them on every side from astounded street
boys, the remarkable bird had something droll and amusing to say in
reply. In fact, the driver declares to this day, that he never before or
since has had so extraordinary a fare.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE DODO OBLIGES WITH A SONG.

"Hold hard! Stop! Here we are!" cried the Dodo, soon after they had
reached Charing Cross. "There's A. B. C."

"We haven't got to Norfolk Street yet," said the cabby.

"Never mind, there's A. B. C., and that's who I want," declared the
Dodo, scrambling down from the roof. "You stay in the cab till I come
back," he called out to the children, smoothing his gloves and settling
his tie as he walked towards the door.

The children watched him enter, and through the glass door of the
shop--for it