skipping them around. It was very lively and exciting; but when
Pirlaps heard Sara give a little sigh, and asked her, with a twinkle,
how she liked it, she was obliged to answer, "I like it, but--it makes
my head turn around. It's so much like arithmetic."

"That's what Avrillia says," answered Pirlaps, smiling. "Well, let's
walk around a bit. And then I'll show you the Strained Relations."

Sara thought that sounded very interesting; and, besides, she was glad
to walk after standing still so long. So they strolled about, enjoying
the pleasant afternoon, and the oddity of the people and their ways.
There were any number of step-relatives, mothers, fathers, brothers
and sisters, sitting around on their various steps, or carrying them
jauntily under their arms. She noticed that none of them had a servant
to carry them, however, from which she concluded that they were not so
well-to-do as Pirlaps. But then, none of the steps were of chocolate.
They were of various materials, however, even yellow.

Once, in crossing the uncommon, they met one of Pirlaps' half-sisters.
She was divided lengthwise, and so had only a profile; but, as her
profile was very pretty, the effect was not at all unpleasant. While
they were talking to her, one of his half-brothers came up, but he was
divided crosswise, and so had no back. However, from the front, of
course, you hardly noticed it.

"Well," said Pirlaps, at last, glancing at the small clinical
thermometer he carried, "we'll just have time to take a look at the
Strained Relations, and then I must get back and help Avrillia vanish
the children."