like and what the funny little house would have inside it. But I
never imagined it would be anything like this. Yet somehow after
I had felt the Doctor's hand upon my arm I was not frightened,
only confused. It all seemed like some queer dream; and I was
beginning to wonder if I was really awake, when I heard the
Doctor speaking again:

"My blessed matches are all wet. They won't strike. Have you got
any?"

"No, I'm afraid I haven't," I called back.

"Never mind," said he. "Perhaps Dab-Dab can raise us a light
somewhere."

Then the Doctor made some funny clicking noises with his tongue
and I heard some one trundle up the stairs again and start moving
about in the rooms above.

Then we waited quite a while without anything happening.

"Will the light be long in coming?" I asked. "Some animal is
sitting on my foot and my toes are going to sleep."

"No, only a minute," said the Doctor. "She'll be back in a
minute."

And just then I saw the first glimmerings of a light around the
landing above. At once all the animals kept quiet.