“Oh!” she cried, “do you really know where the ‘enchanted island’ is? Will you tell me how to get there?”
“That I will!” said the dolphin. “That I will, if you’ll get me a little of my element first.”
“What is that?” asked Mary Frances.
“Why, you couldn’t live without yours for one minute! I’ll die if I don’t get some soon!”
“Oh, dear, what can it be? Whatever in the world is your element? I don’t want you to die!”
“Be quick!” cried the dolphin, fanning himself with the other fin. “I feel very faint!”
“I’ll get some water!” Stooping quickly, Mary Frances filled her hat. Before she could dash it over him, the dolphin ducked his head into the hatful of water.
“Thank you,” he said, raising his head. “You’re not so dull after all. Water is my element; air is yours.”
“Of course,” said Mary Frances; but she wondered why the dolphin didn’t jump back into the water.
“The reason is that it takes me so long to climb a fence!”