"I thought you lived alone," I said to the Doctor. "So I do,"
said he. "It is Dab-Dab who is bringing the light."

I looked up the stairs trying to make out who was coming. I
could not see around the landing but I heard the most curious
footstep on the upper flight. It sounded like some one hopping
down from one step to the other, as though he were using only one
leg.

As the light came lower, it grew brighter and began to throw
strange jumping shadows on the walls.

"Ah-at last!" said the Doctor. "Good old Dab-Dab!"

And then I thought I REALLY must be dreaming. For there, craning
her neck round the bend of the landing, hopping down the stairs
on one leg, came a spotless white duck. And in her right foot she
carried a lighted candle!



THE FOURTH CHAPTER

THE WIFF-WAFF

WHEN at last I could look around me I found that the hall was
indeed simply full of animals. It seemed to me that almost every
kind of creature from the countryside must be there: a pigeon, a
white rat, an owl, a badger, a jackdaw--there was even a small
pig, just in from the rainy garden, carefully wiping his feet on