“But we haven’t it,” said the Archæopteryx.
“Look here, I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” said the Palæotherium, generously: “I’ll give up the robin, and my friend here will give up the waterbut. There!”
“Now that’s settled,” said the Dodo, conclusively, “I’ll ask you a conundrum. ”If your wife’s aunt is——””
“Stop! stop!” said the Palæotherium, “I haven’t got a wife, you know.”
“No,” said the Eterædarium, “he hasn’t, and, if he had, she very likely would not have an aunt. Make it my wife’s aunt.”
“All right,” said the Dodo. “If your wife’s aunt is my brother’s son, what relation is Dick to Tom?”
“You haven’t asked it right,” said Dick, who knew a riddle something like that. “It’s ”if this man’s father is that man’s son, what relation is Dick to Tom?””
“I wish you wouldn’t interfere,” said the Dodo. “I tell you the question is right as I asked it.”
“But your wife’s aunt couldn’t be anybody’s son,” said Marjorie, who was trying to puzzle it out.
“Who said she was?” snapped the Dodo, crossly; “she is as likely to be anybody’s son as a robin is to be like a waterbut, and besides, I didn’t say she was; I said, if she was, you know.”