s
is the most remarkable. Here, I say! Wake up, will you!" and he gave the
reins another sharp pull.

The sloth-bear blinked his eyes, sleepily, and muttered, "What's up?"

"Why, aren't you going to make a start?" inquired the Dodo, angrily;
"how do you suppose we shall ever get to our destination if you go on
like this?"

The sloth-bear, after staring vacantly awhile slowly shook his head.
"Speed not to exceed quarter of a mile an hour, them's my orders," he
said, "and four times nine is--er--ninety-nine, so you'll get there
about next Thursday week. Y--ah--a--a--ow," and he gave another
tremendous yawn, as his head sank between his knees again.

"Good gracious! what's to be done?" said Dick, getting down from the
chariot. "It's not the slightest use our trying to go anywhere in this
thing."

"What did he mean by saying four times nine were ninety-nine? They
ain't," said Fidge, "'cos I know my 'four times,' and four nines are
thirty-six."

"Perhaps it was something to do with the number of miles we shall have
to travel before we reach the place where the ships start from,"
suggested Marjorie.

"Wake him up again, will you, please?" she said, turning to the Dodo.
"Perhaps he will tell us."

"All right," said the Dodo, "I'll wake him up. Here!" he cried, going up
to the sloth-bear, and giving him a good shake. "Wake up! Wake up!"

The creature slowly lifted his head, and, staring reproachfully at the
Dodo, began to cry. "Boo--hoo--hoo! Boo--hoo--hoo!" he sobbed. "It's a
shame, it is."

"What's the matter now, cry-baby?" asked the Dodo.

"Why can't you let me alone?" whined the sloth-bear. "I've never done
nothing to you, have I? Why can't you let a poor beast sleep in peace?"

"Oh, for goodness' sake let the lazy old thing go to sleep if it wants
to," said Dick, impatiently, while tender-hearted Marjorie went up to
the creature and stroked and comforted it as best she could.

Her pity was wasted, however, for almost before the last words were out
of its mouth the sloth-bear was snoring peacefully with a contented
smirk on its face.

"Come on," said Dick, "let's try and find the way ourselves. Oh! I
know," he exclaimed; "of course, why we've forgotten all about the power
we have of floating in the air; we'll rise up above the trees, and then
we shall soon see where the sea is."

No sooner said than done. The children just expressed the wish, and, as
the Little Panjandrum's Ambassador had promised them,