Dick, Marjorie and Fidge Part 20

"Why, you said you would have to make an effigy of me; and he" (pointing to d.i.c.k) "said it was a kind of Guy Fawkes, didn't you?" he added appealing to d.i.c.k.

"Well, never mind," said the Archaeopteryx, sympathetically; "you have the consolation that they couldn't make you a bigger guy than you are."

Strangely enough, the Dodo seemed to derive a considerable amount of comfort from this idea, and, wiping away the few remaining tears, he began to take an active interest in the manufacture of the effigy, which the others set about constructing without further delay.

"Is it like me?" he asked, conceitedly, as they bound some cloths to a piece of stick, in such a way that they bore some slight resemblance to a bird.

"Dear me, what a pity! I'm not moulting, or you might have had one or two of my feathers to stick on for a tail," he added.

"H'm! I shouldn't have thought you had any to spare for moulting purposes," said the Archaeopteryx.

"Don't be unkind," retorted the Dodo; "_you_ haven't many to boast of."

"I've more than you have, anyhow," said the Archaeopteryx.

"Oh, for goodness' sake leave off quarreling. What on earth does it matter how many feathers you have?" said d.i.c.k.

"Not to a _boy_, I suppose," remarked the Dodo, somewhat insolently; "but no respectable bird would care to be seen about with less than five; though, undoubtedly, too many are vulgar"--this with a scornful glance at the Archaeopteryx's tail, which was decorated with quite a number of curious flat feathers.

I don't know how much longer this wrangling would have gone on, had not the Court Glover just then made his appearance.

"Time's up!" he announced, sternly. "Are you prepared for execution, Dodo?"

"Not quite," answered the Executioner, who was putting the finis.h.i.+ng touches to the effigy; "his head keeps tumbling off."

"Never mind, it will save cutting it off," said the Court Glover, who was evidently quite used to the Executioner's patent method of performing his dreadful duty.

"Now then," he continued importantly. "Stand round in a ring while I read the Warrant. 'Ahem! Nevertheless, likewise, notwithstanding, heretofore, as is aforesaid. It having been proven that a certain bird named the Dodo having maliciously and contemptibly worn the white kid gloves of the Little Panjandrum, it is hereby enacted that the said Dodo, or his heirs male, or a.s.signs, be chopped at the neck till one or all of their respective heads do fall off--and this to be done to their entire satisfaction. LONG LIVE THE PANJANDRUM!'"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'Alas! Alas!' murmured the Court Glover."]

"What a rigmarole!" whispered d.i.c.k, while the Executioner stretched out the Dodo's effigy on the ground, and, resuming his hideous black mask, made ready to strike.

"Alas! Alas!" murmured the Court Glover, covering his face with his hands, and peeping through his fingers, while the Dodo held his sides with suppressed laughter.

The children all looked on with interest as the Executioner performed his terrible duty. Raising his curious scythe-like chopper, with one mighty blow he severed the piece of wood which answered for the Dodo's neck, and then stood gloomily aside.

"_Fiat Just.i.tia_!" said the Court Glover, solemnly; and then, turning to the Dodo, he inquired anxiously, "Well, how did you like it?"

"Oh! it was delightful!" replied the bird, enthusiastically. "I am sure no one could wish to have a pleasanter or more delightful execution. I'm much obliged to you for having it so nicely performed."

"Well, we always like to manage these little things as pleasantly as possible, you know," said the Court Glover, deprecatingly.

"Oh! I quite enjoyed it!" said the Dodo. "That's a _very_ nice Executioner you have."

"Yes; isn't he?" agreed the Court Glover. "Pity he laughs so much, though, it spoils the effect. Well, having done my duty, I must be off.

Any message for the Little Panjandrum?"

"Oh! can't we go back with you in the balloon?" asked Marjorie, eagerly, for it seemed to her a capital opportunity of getting away from this strange place.

"H'm! I'm afraid not," said the Court Glover, reflectively. "You see, it only holds two comfortably."

"Where do you want to go to?" asked the Archaeopteryx.

"England!" said the children, all together.

"Oh! _that's_ all right. I'll tell you the way to get _there_," said the Palaeotherium.

And the Court Glover and the Executioner began to undo the cords which held the balloon to the palm tree.

"You might leave me your card," said the Dodo to the Executioner, pressing a small coin into his hand. "I shall probably go in for a complete course of execution when I get back again; and, besides, the address of a good, reliable Executioner is a handy thing to have in the house."

The Executioner giggled, and handed the bird his card, and then both he and the Court Glover got into the car, and the balloon was soon vanis.h.i.+ng in the distance.

After watching them nearly out of sight the Dodo capered wildly about till the children began to fear that he had suddenly gone off his head.

"Whatever is the matter?" inquired d.i.c.k. "Why are you carrying on in that absurd way?"

The Dodo fumbled beneath one wing, and drew forth a little paper package.

"Ha! ha! ha! _They went away without the gloves after all_!" he shrieked, and began to roll about on the ground in an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE PREHISTORIC DOCTOR.

"I can't imagine," said d.i.c.k, "why you think such a lot of those wretched old gloves. They seem to have got you into quite enough trouble already."

"They look so respectable," explained the Dodo, "and give one such an air. You have _never_ before seen a bird wearing gloves, now, have you?"

he added, appealing to the company generally, who were obliged to flatter his vanity by confessing that they never had.

d.i.c.k, however, in a spirit of pure mischief, decided to play him a trick. So, when the Dodo, having put on one glove, strutted away to show off before the Archaeopteryx, leaving the other one behind him, d.i.c.k quickly picked it up and put it on himself, then calling to aid the power which the Panjandrum's Amba.s.sador had given him of being able to make himself whatever size he wished, he cried, "I wish to be as big as the biggest giant that ever lived," and immediately became so tall that the Palaeotherium and the Eteraedarium, who were standing near, fled in dismay, while Marjorie and Fidge looked up with the greatest of admiration to their now big--big brother.

d.i.c.k then telling them, in a voice that sounded like thunder, to stand aside, took off the glove, which had, of course, grown with him, and threw it on to the ground, where it lay a huge ma.s.s of coa.r.s.e leather as many _feet_ long as it had formerly been _inches_, and with b.u.t.tons almost as big as dinner plates.

It was, of course, the easiest matter imaginable for d.i.c.k to reduce himself to his proper size again, while the glove remained as it was, and this he very quickly did, to the evident relief of the poor Palaeotherium and the Eteraedarium, who had been trembling and quaking behind a clump of trees, and looking with the greatest disquietude at these extraordinary proceedings.

"This is fine growing weather, Sir," remarked the Palaeotherium, respectfully, as he came forward and stood by d.i.c.k beside the enormous glove.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'Is that it?' asked d.i.c.k."]

d.i.c.k laughed, and rather delighted in the evident impression which he had made upon the creatures by his performance, and a moment after the Dodo returned, looking about him eagerly in search of his lost property.

"What's the matter?" inquired d.i.c.k, solicitously.