and that you're growing to look rather more like a pinecone, and
less like a chestnut-burr, than you used to.'

'Am I?' said Stickly-Prickly. 'That comes from my soaking in the
water. Oh, won't Painted Jaguar be surprised!'

They went on with their exercises, each helping the other, till
morning came; and when the sun was high they rested and dried
themselves. Then they saw that they were both of them quite
different from what they had been.

'Stickly-Prickly,' said Tortoise after breakfast, 'I am not what
I was yesterday; but I think that I may yet amuse Painted Jaguar.

'That was the very thing I was thinking just now,' said Stickly-
Prickly. 'I think scales are a tremendous improvement on
prickles--to say nothing of being able to swim. Oh, won't Painted
Jaguar be surprised! Let's go and find him.'

By and by they found Painted Jaguar, still nursing his paddy-paw
that had been hurt the night before. He was so astonished that he
fell three times backward over his own painted tail without
stopping.

'Good morning!' said Stickly-Prickly. 'And how is your dear
gracious Mummy this morning?'

'She is quite well, thank you,' said Painted Jaguar; 'but you
must forgive me if I do not at this precise moment recall your
name.'