Part 6 (1/2)

”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 doc.u.ment 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 d.i.c.k. ”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 d.i.c.k. ”It doesn't seem to mean anything at all.”

”Perhaps, d.i.c.k, 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 d.i.c.k.

”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?”