Dick, Marjorie and Fidge | Page 9

not The kind that I'd
be seen with anywhere.
'While as for singing, that she should complain Of other folk Is past a
joke, I vow I'll not be friends with her again.'
'My dear,' the other said, 'remember this: A critic she Of high degree,
For though she can't sing well, the goose can hiss.'"
The Sage had scarcely finished when a sound of weeping and wailing
was heard, and presently a whole troop of gnomes appeared in the
onion field. They were crying bitterly, and to the children's great
surprise several of them had grown enormously tall and others equally
stout.
They came straight up to the Sage's hut, and with tears streaming down
their faces beseeched him to help them. They had foolishly been

making use of the authority which the Little Panjandrum's Ambassador
had given to the children; and although it acted one way, and made
them the size that they wished to be, it would not turn them back again.
[Illustration: "They were crying bitterly."]
"And my wife and family refuse to have anything to do with me," said
one ridiculously tall individual.
"And I can't squeeze into my own house, anyhow," wept the stout one.
"The only way," said the Sage, after a moment's thought, with his
forehead wrinkled into deep furrows, "is to send the Ki-Wi to the Court
of the Little Panjandrum for a fresh authority. It's no use your having
this one back if it won't act properly, is it?" he inquired, turning to the
children.
"Certainly not," said Dick; "but who is the Ki-Wi, please?"
"Oh, he's the Court Messenger," explained the Sage, "and is the only
one here allowed 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