Dick, Marjorie and Fidge | Page 9

to enter the Court of the Little Panjandrum without permission."
"Go and fetch him," he continued.
And the gnomes disappeared, returning presently with the Ki-Wi (who turned out to be a curious kind of bird), and the written authority, which had been taken from the children.
"Let me look at it," said the Sage, holding out his hand for the paper.
[Illustration: "Produced a large document and began to read."]
"Why, no wonder it won't act for the gnomes," he exclaimed, when he had read it.
"It mentions you all by name--just try it yourselves, will you?"
Dick took the paper from him, and said loudly, "We wish to be our own size again."
To their great delight the children at once found themselves their usual height, and the onions, which had looked before like huge trees, now only reached a little above their heads, while the Sage and the other gnomes looked the tiniest little creatures again.
"This is better," said Dick, shaking himself as though he had come out of the water.
"Yes, isn't it good to be ourselves once more," said Marjorie.
While Fidge jumped about delightedly, breaking down several of the onion plants, and almost treading on the Sage's hut.
"Don't caper about like a lot of lunatics," shouted the little man, angrily. "Come and sit down and talk business. The Ki-Wi has something to tell you."
All excitement to know what it could be, the children sat down again, and the Ki-Wi after fumbling about in his coat tail for some time, produced a large document and began to read.
CHAPTER V.
THE KING OF THE FISHES.
"Um--ah--that is to say--er--notwithstanding, nevertheless, likewise also, and as is herein aforesaid," began the Ki-Wi, in an important voice.
"Hold on!" cried Dick. "We can't understand all that, you know. Why don't you say what you have to say in English?"
"It is English," declared the Ki-Wi, in an aggrieved voice, "and very good English too."
"Of course it is," chimed in the Sage.
"Well we don't understand it, anyhow," maintained Dick. "It doesn't seem to mean anything at all."
"Perhaps, Dick, dear," said Marjorie, "Mr. Sage will explain it to us. Let's see--it began----"
"'Notwithstanding, nevertheless, likewise, and as is herein aforesaid,'" repeated the Ki-Wi.
"Well, I'll explain it, if you wish with pleasure," said the Sage, "though I can't see in the least why it should be necessary. It seems to me to perfectly simple. To begin with--'Notwithstanding' describes our position just now--Not-with-standing, or not standing with the Ki-Wi. He is standing, while we are sitting down, you see; then 'nevertheless' means of course the same as always-the-greater, which exactly describes me. You see, my great learning and cleverness always makes me greater than the people I am speaking to, and consequently never-the-less. The next word is also descriptive of myself. 'Likewise,' or like a wise man, which, I am sure, you will all agree that I am; and 'herein' means that my brains are all in here," said the Sage, tapping his head. "While 'aforesaid'--the last word--means that I have a strong head, or a force-head, do you see?"
"Is the rest of the paper all about yourself, too, Sir?" asked Marjorie.
"Yes," was the complacent reply. "Go on, Ki-Wi."
"I'm afraid we can't stop," interrupted Dick.
"You see, we have got to hunt up that wretched Dodo, and perhaps we had better be going now."
"Yes, we must be going now," chimed in Fidge, jumping up eagerly, for all this rigmarole had been very uninteresting to him.
"Oh, I'm sorry you can't stay," said the Sage, in a disappointed voice. "I could have told you such a lot more about myself. You do think I'm clever though, don't you?" he asked, anxiously.
"Oh, immensely!" said the children, politely.
"Thanks!" said the Sage. "Will you take a few onions with you as a memento of your visit?"
"No thank you," said Marjorie, hurriedly.
"They would remind you of me," suggested the Sage, wistfully; "Sage and onions you know."
"No, thanks," said Dick, "I'm sure we shall remember you without."
"Now that's very kind of you," said the Sage, "and I'll do the best I can to help you in your search for the Dodo. Let's see, where did he say he was going to?"
"The Equator," said Dick; "but I'm sure we can't go all that way after him, and get back in a week."
"You could if you went by sea," said the Sage.
"What do you mean?" asked Dick.
"Why, I could give you an introduction to the King of the Fishes, you know, and he might lend you his dolphins; they travel at a rare pace, and would get you there in no time."
"Oh, yes," cried Marjorie, "of course we can go under the sea, don't you know, the paper says so. Wouldn't it be jolly, even if we didn't find the Dodo?"
"Don't want to be drownded, and get all deaded," objected Fidge.
"You wouldn't be, dear," said Marjorie. "Brother Dick wouldn't