The coachman opened the door, Dido was lifted out, and the small party from H. M. S. Thrush ascended the steps. "Oops!" said Dido. "There ain't no front door." "I reckon we have to wait here till it comes round," said Lieutenant Windward. "Vexatious!" muttered the captain. "It is hardly dignified to be obliged to stand on the doorstep like petitioners!" The rotating silver building had its back to them, and they were forced to wait five or six minutes until the entrance slowly crept round to where they were standing. Meanwhile Dido glumly studied her reflection in the glistening walls and hoped that the palace was not full of aurocs; in her long skirts, she thought, it would be very hard to give them the slip. "Does the building come to a stop so that we may enter?" Captain Hughes asked one of the sentries. The man shook his head and laid a finger on his lips. Irritably the captain put his question to another sentry, who made the same gesture. "I fancy they are all deaf and dumb," murmured the lieutenant in an undertone.
