"Creep-a-mousie, crawl-a-mousie, please move on! We can't move a step till you are gone." "Don't disturb me," said the lizard; "I'm dreaming about parsnips. Did you ever taste a parsnip?" "We're in a hurry, if it's the same to you, sir," said Cap'n Bill, politely. [Illustration] "Then climb over me--or go around--I don't care which," murmured the lizard. "When they're little, they're juicy; when they're big, there's more of 'em; but either way there's nothing so delicious as a parsnip. There are none here in the Fog Bank, so the best I can do is dream of them. Oh, parsnips--par-snips--p-a-r-snips!" He closed his eyes sleepily and resumed his dreams. Walking around the lizard they resumed their journey and soon came to the frog, being guided by its grunts and croaks. Then off it went again, its tremendous leap carrying it far into the fog. Suddenly Cap'n Bill tripped and would have fallen flat had not Trot and Button-Bright held him up. Then he saw that he had stumbled over the claw of a gigantic land-crab, which lay sprawled out upon the pebbly bottom. "Oh; beg parding, I'm sure!" exclaimed Cap'n Bill backing away. "Don't mention it," replied the crab, in a tired tone. "You did not disturb me, so there is no harm done." "We didn't know you were here," explained Trot. "Probably not," said the crab. "It's no place for me, anyhow, for I belong in the Constellations, you know, with Taurus and Gemini and the other fellows. But I had the misfortune to tumble out of the Zodiac some time ago. My name is Cancer--but I'm not a disease. Those who examine the heavens in these days, alas! can find no Cancer there." "Yes, we can, sir, Mister Cancer!" said the parrot, with a chuckle. "Once," remarked Cap'n Bill, "I sawr a picter of you in an almanac." "Ah; the almanacs always did us full justice," the crab replied, "but I'm told they're not fashionable now." "If you don't mind, we'd like to pass on," said Button-Bright. "No; I don't mind; but be careful not to step on my legs. They're rheumatic, it's so moist here." They climbed over some of the huge legs and walked around others. Soon they had left the creature far behind. "Aren't you rather slow?" asked the frog, when once more they came up to him. "It isn't that," said Trot. "You are rather swift, I guess." The frog chuckled and leaped again. They noticed that the fog had caught a soft rose tint, and was lighter and less dense than before, for which reason the sailor remarked that they must be getting near to the Pink Country. On this jump they saw nothing but a monstrous turtle, which lay asleep with its head and legs drawn into its shell. It was not in their way, so they hurried on and rejoined the frog, which said to them: "I'm sorry, but I'm due at the King's Court in a few minutes and I can't wait for your short, weak legs to make the journey to the Pink Country. But if you will climb upon my back I think I can carry you to the border in one more leap."