"You know perfectly well how I do, and I consider that a very foolish remark," replied Dorothy, speaking in a very dignified manner, and not feeling at all pleased with this reception; and then noticing that Humphrey was nowhere to be seen, she said severely, "Where's your Camel?" "Camels is no good," said the Admiral, evasively. "Leastwise _he_ wasn't." "Why not?" said Dorothy. She said this very sternly, for she felt morally certain that the Admiral was trying to conceal something from her. "Well, you see," said the Admiral, uneasily, "he talked too much. He was always grumbling." "Grumbling about what?" said Dorothy. "Oh, about a wariety of things," said the Admiral. "Meals and lodgings and all that, you know. I used to try to stop him. 'Cammy,' I says--" "'Cammy' is short for camel," explained Sir Walter, and Dorothy laughed and nodded, and the Admiral went on-- "'Cammy,' I says, 'don't scold so much'; but lor! I might as well have talked to a turnpike-gate." "Better," put in Sir Walter. "_That_ shuts up sometimes, and _he_ never did." "Oh, jummy!" said the Highlander, with a chuckle, "_that's_ a good one!" "But what was it all about?" persisted Dorothy. "_You_ tell her, Ruffles," said the Admiral. "Well," said Sir Walter, "it was all the same thing, over and over again. He had it all in verses so he wouldn't forget any of it. It went like this: "Canary-birds feed on sugar and seed, Parrots have crackers to crunch; And, as for the poodles, they tell me the noodles Have chickens and cream for their lunch. But there's never a question About MY digestion-- ANYTHING does for me! "Cats, you're aware, can repose in a chair, Chickens can roost upon rails; Puppies are able to sleep in a stable, And oysters can slumber in pails. But no one supposes A poor Camel dozes-- ANY PLACE does for me! "Lambs are inclosed where it's never exposed, Coops are constructed for hens; Kittens are treated to houses well heated, And pigs are protected by pens. But a Camel comes handy Wherever it's sandy-- ANYWHERE does for me! "People would laugh if you rode a giraffe, Or mounted the back of an ox; It's nobody's habit to ride on a rabbit, Or try to bestraddle a fox. But as for a Camel, he's Ridden by families-- ANY LOAD does for me! "A snake is as round as a hole in the ground, And weasels are wavy and sleek; And no alligator could ever be straighter Than lizards that live in a creek. But a Camel's all lumpy And bumpy and humpy-- ANY SHAPE does for me!" Now, Dorothy was a very tender-hearted little child, and by the time these verses were finished she hardly knew whether to laugh or to cry. "Poor old, feeble-minded thing!" she said, compassionately. "And what became of him at last?"