"Hullo! Look here! Why, here's a situation that would just suit me:--'Typewriter wanted; must be quick and accurate, and of undoubted respectability. Hours, nine till six. Liberal salary to suitable person.--Apply to A. B. C., Suffolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand.' It's the very thing! With the liberal salary, I shall be able to take a house somewhere in London, and we can all live together, and have the jolliest larks. We'll keep a horse and trap, you know, and I'll buy you each a bicycle, and we'll go to the Pantomime every evening, and to Madame Tussaud's, and the Zoo, and the Tower of London, and Masklyne and Cook's, and other things every day--and--and----" he went on breathlessly. "But do you know how to do typewriting?" asked Dick, dubiously. "Well--er, not exactly," 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.