Dick, Marjorie and Fidge: A Search for the Wonderful Dodo

, and, while they were waiting, Marjorie espied a curious figur

ng them by the reins to some coral stumps, so that they could not swim away, they half wa

as they drew nearer, and coul

sack upon his back, and was clothed only in a ragge

whisper, "how unhappy he looks

children approached, and, clutchin

ou? What d

oor old man," began Ma

t into a peal of

imed, opening his bag before the children's astonished eyes. "Gold! jewels! riches! wealth! they a

rjorie, catching at Dick'

es of the deep are mine. I have stacks of golden crowns and jewels wi

hey all come fr

hes," continued the old man, "and there i

e so rich," said Dick. "It must b

d; it is valueless to them-and I may not go on land, so I am here alone with my riches, and every day I gather more and more. I have piled them high about my cave in a great circle, and some day, when it becomes

ed his bag and moved awa

ie; "for he is poor, although he

g with all kind

for something," said Dick. "Come on, it makes me wret

ound that little friend, the t

while you have been catching us up. Wh

suddenly I remembered what a splendid opportunity your visit down here would afford

pose so," r

is most anxious for the race to begin at once, and

" inquired Marjorie, as th

the little fish hanging on to one of the Dolphins' tail

p in two lines, with a wide path between them. The King, on a shell throne, surrounded by his courtiers, was at one end, and s

arrived on their Dolphins, and a rus

inquired, rather dismayed at

uman race,"

pose," said Dick, "the one who reaches the goal first wins. If

at?" cried

ine, for Fidge, of course, cannot run as quickly as Marjorie or me; and Marjorie, too, b

own way," was the reply. "W

ike," said Dick. "Whe

ishes. And Dick, having given Fidge a very long start, and M

to mak

o be s

, and

ts you from getting along at all quickly. The fishes watching the race became very excited, and, in their eagerness to urge them on, kept getting in the children's way, swimming about in front of them, and gettin

" shouted Fidge, deligh

efore the king to r

who had purposely been holding ba

e?" whispered the l

swered Dick;

and was talking very earnestly to him, and presently returnin

aid Marjorie, excitedly. "Fancy,

a fish,"

t his feelings," whispe

began a long speech. He spoke so very softly, though, that no one could hear a word that he said; but, at re

Dick, of one of them; "I'm sure you ca

uite candidly; "but it's the proper thin

en were called before the K

a large branch of pink coral near the throne, and they were th

ighly gratified, though, in reali

ross that he nearly quarreled outright with a perky little fish who had been standing, hat in hand, near him,

the rest of the fishes each took a partner, and began whirling round and round in a frantic way in a mad kind of dance, to the strains of some

d and round in

ll," said Dick, laughing heartily at the st

ply a dark shadow passing overhead c

ly paddling above them, and beyond them th

citedly. "Look! look!" she ex