“But perhaps the Pretty Lady—” Lion began.
“Oh, I shall be very glad to carry another passenger away with me,” answered she, “only I think it would be more fun if we this time made the selection by counting out.”
“To be sure,” she replied. “First you must all form in a circle. You, Little Black Bear, will stand here with me, for of course you’ve already had your adventure. Now,” she continued, when the great ring had been made, “we will begin.” And she started around the circle, repeating the words which you shall hear while touching an animal with the tip of her whip with each word that spoke:
“Diggeldy, Diggeldy, Diggeldy Dan, Stay in the circle, those who can; Whip touch nose, or trunk or snout— The last one touched is counted OUT.”
“Of course that first time was just for practice. But now we will start in earnest, and the one who is touched by the whip when I speak the word ‘out’ must at once step aside. Thus we will continue until but one remains and that one will be the next to go galloping away on the White-White Horse.”
So the counting began. Out went Zebra and out went Seal and so on from one to another until at last there remained only Tiger and Dan.
“And now, that I may have no way of knowing which of you I shall touch when I speak the first word of the rhyme, I will ask Lion to place his paws tightly over my eyes,” the Pretty Lady requested.
“Now,” warned she, when her eyes had been covered, “are they ready, Lion?”
Down dipped the whip, and the Lady began touching first one and then the other, while all those who were out joined in the lines of the rhyme. And then, when it had brought them to the very last word, all fairly shouted a tremendous “OUT!”
At the same moment Lion dropped his paws from the Pretty Lady’s eyes and there was the tip of her whip resting on Tiger’s left ear!
“Dan!” cried she, while all the animals began chanting:
“Oh, Dan, Dan, Diggeldy Dan, Go find us a story as fast as you can!”
“Indeed he will,” promised the Pretty Lady, “for I know exactly where to take him. Only he may have to be absent over one twilight.”
“Especially if he brings back an extra fine story,” added Camel.
“Let us start at once, then,” the Pretty Lady commanded, “for we have a long way to go.”