When the sun came out next morning they
went down to the sandy beach to dry themselves.

"Dear old Africa!" sighed Polynesia. "It's
good to get back. Just think--it'll be a
hundred and sixty-nine years to-morrow since I was
here! And it hasn't changed a bit! Same old
palm-trees; same old red earth; same old black
ants! There's no place like home!"

And the others noticed she had tears in her eyes--
she was so pleased to see her country once again.

Then the Doctor missed his high hat; for it
had been blown into the sea during the storm.
So Dab-Dab went out to look for it. And presently
she saw it, a long way off, floating on the
water like a toy-boat.

When she flew down to get it, she found one
of the white mice, very frightened, sitting
inside it.

"What are you doing here?" asked the duck.
"You were told to stay behind in Puddleby."

"I didn't want to be left behind," said the
mouse. "I wanted to see what Africa was like
--I have relatives there. So I hid in the baggage
and was brought on to the ship with the