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, they found that they had the power of rising at will. "Jolly, isn't it?" said Dick, as they floated upwards, leaving the Dodo gazing after them enviously. "Like being in a b'loon," chuckled Fidge, clutching at the leaves of a tree as he passed through them. Fidge never would pronounce balloon properly. "Oh! look!" cried Marjorie, as they passed above the trees, "there's the sea over there, and some houses, and people on the beach. I can see them quite distinctly. Oh, jolly, we can soon fly over there; come on." "What about the Dodo?" asked Dick. "Oh, of course. I'd forgotten him. Let's see, he can't fly, can he?" "Judging by the exhibition he made of himself when we first saw him, I should say not," laughed Dick. "Well, perhaps we could carry him between us," suggested Marjorie, "he doesn't look _very_ heavy."