"Where are they, the large beasts ?" "Giraffes!" replied Mrs.Weldon.

"You are mistaken, my dear Dick.

There are no giraffes in America." "Indeed," said Harris, who appeared rather surprised, "there cannot be any giraffes in this country." "What, then ?" said Dick Sand.
"I really do not know what to think," replied Harris.

"Have not your eyes deceived you, my young friend, and are not those animals more likely to be ostriches ?" "Ostriches!" repeated Dick Sand and Mrs.Weldon, looking at each other in great surprise.
"Yes, only ostriches," repeated Harris.
"But ostriches are birds," returned Dick Sand, "and consequently they have only two feet." "Well," replied Harris, "I indeed thought I saw that those animals, which have just made off so rapidly, were bipeds." "Bipeds!" replied the novice.
"Indeed it seemed to me that I saw animals with four legs," then said Mrs.Weldon.
"I also," added old Tom; then Bat, Acteon, and Austin confirmed those words.
"Ostriches with four legs!" cried Harris, with a burst of laughter.
"That would be ridiculous!" "So," returned Dick Sand, "we have believed they were giraffes, and not ostriches." "No, my young friend, no," said Harris.

"You have certainly seen badly.
That is explained by the rapidity with which those animals have flown away.