I. THE BEGINNING OF A MARVELLOUS JOURNEY 1 II. THE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY 12 III. THE SAGE IN THE ONION FIELD 24 IV. STORIES AND TAILS BY THE SAGE 35 V. THE KING OF THE FISHES 47 VI. IN THE KING'S PRESENCE 59 VII. THE HUMAN RACE 68 VIII. THE DODO AT LAST 80 IX. AT THE NORTH POLE 92 X. SOME NEW ACQUAINTANCES 102 XI. THE SKIPPER OF THE "ARGONAUT" 113 XII. THE ARCHAEOPTERYX 125 XIII. THE LITTLE PANJANDRUM'S BALLOON 135 XIV. THE DUFF AND DEM EXECUTIONER 145 XV. THE EXECUTION OF THE DODO 155 XVI. THE PREHISTORIC DOCTOR 165 XVII. WAITING FOR THE TRAIN 175 XVIII. A NIGHT IN THE TRAIN 185 XIX. AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE 195 XX. A DIFFICULTY WITH THE ROUNDABOUT 216 XXI. THE LITTLE PANJANDRUM AT LAST 217 XXII. TURNED TO STONE 228 XXIII. THE DODO'S LITTLE RUSE 236 XXIV. FIRST CLASS TO LONDON 245 XXV. THE DODO OBLIGES WITH A SONG 255 XXVI. THE DODO DEPARTS 263 DICK, MARJORIE AND FIDGE. CHAPTER I. THE BEGINNING OF A MARVELOUS JOURNEY. "Dick! Dick! Wake up, I want to tell you something." Marjorie stood outside the boy's bedroom door, and called in as loud a whisper as she dared, fearing lest she should awaken the rest of the household. There was a scuffle and a patter of bare feet inside, and Dick appeared at the door rubbing his eyes, evidently only half awake. "What's up?" he demanded. "Hush! don't make a noise. There's such a funny sound down-stairs--I believe it's burglars. Listen!" "Pooh! this time in the morning. What nonsense." "Well it's been going on for ever so long, anyhow, and hark, there's something keeps banging about like anything in the breakfast-room." Dick ran to the top of the stairs and listened. Sure enough, there was a most mysterious noise going on below,--a dull banging at regular intervals, and a curious lapping sound, as though there was water in the lower part of the house. "Let's go and see what's up!" said Dick promptly.