"Come on, Marjorie, let's have a race."
“What?” inquired the children.
“Why, some one suggested putting his feet into hot mustard and water and drinking gruel—and he tried it several times with no effect; and at last he fortunately thought of reversing the process, so he put his feet into some thick gruel, and drank a lot of mustard and water, and now he’s quite well, thanks. So don’t you get discouraged if you don’t find the Dodo at once; but, as I said before, if one way doesn’t succeed, try another.”
“Thanks!” said the children, “we’ll remember.”
Just then they found themselves before a kind of shed, built of coral, which the fish entered, returning shortly afterwards leading three curious-looking fishes by a simple sort of bridle.
“Here they are!” he announced; “you will find them quite docile. Just mount them and see how you like their pace.”
The children needed no second invitation, and were soon astride their strange steeds.
With a whisk of their tails they were soon off, dashing through the water at such a rate that the little thin fish had the greatest difficulty in keeping up with them, even for a short distance.
“Oh! this is jolly!” cried Dick.