"Yes, I found it was you, Sis. I Wished, and you're a trump, for I was tired, and you rid me of that big dog." Dulcie glowed with pride and pleasure at that. "I never knew, though, that that brute was following me. Fortunately for me he gripped hold of the bracelet round my neck." "How well you tell a story, Cyril," she said simply. Cyril smiled contentedly. "That's nothing." Then she inquired anxiously: "Do you think it was the Wizard's trick, that losing of the stone?" "P'raps," replied Cyril musingly. "He's quite ugly enough for anything. But I don't think so," he added reassuringly; "it must have been an accident--got loose, or something." Dulcie's mind being eased, she then told her own story as a mole. She couldn't remember the Porcupine's verses exactly, but she repeated what she could, and they had a good laugh over them;--before, she had been blind to the fun in them. "I repeated them to Molly," continued Dulcie, rippling over with fun, "and she was so offended she vowed she'd never marry him. So I cured him of his vanity--and serve him right!" "But why did the Hedgehog titter? That was what you wanted to find out, wasn't it?" asked Cyril. "I suppose it was expecting the Porcupine's verses." "Suppose?" "I forgot to ask." Cyril expressed his opinion that she had been a softy, that those creatures weren't worth while chumming up with, and they couldn't have much sense, and it didn't matter, after all, what they thought or did. "I shan't tell you any more, then," replied Dulcie, offended. "Yes, do," begged Cyril, curious to know the end. So after he had begged three times, she gave way, and informed him she was glad never to have been born a mole, for Molly was in terribly low spirits and had apologised for them, but the reason was because all her family's skins had been taken off their backs in order to keep fashionable ladies from taking cold--as these ladies seemed to think that it was a prettier and warmer skin than their own. And Molly hourly expected each moment to be her last--and advised her new-found friend to prepare for the same fate--which was all very terrifying. "So I made haste to wish to be my own self again," concluded Dulcie. Cyril made her promise faithfully never again to run off like a mole or anything else, which--being only too anxious to avoid another separation--she willingly did. "The poor animals," she remarked earnestly, "all seem so helpless. There's no one ever to take their part or help them." "Ah, you think that because we've not yet changed into something really great," answered Cyril with conviction. "What a gloomy looking place we've come to! I was so interested listening and talking, I didn't notice the way we've come," broke in his sister, gazing at what appeared like a Jungle in front of them. "Surprising how we got here, isn't it?" "I never noticed either, but it'll do beautifully," replied the boy, quite satisfied.