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live here,’ Selby thought.
    ‘Apparently the people of Kakalot wrote down all their best jokes,’ Professor Krakpott explained. ‘But the book was lost. If we could find it we could change the world.’
    ‘How can a joke book possibly change the world?’ Dr Trifle asked.
    ‘The point is,’ the professor said, ‘that everyone works too hard these days. And whydo they work so hard? Because they think that expensive cars and TVs with huge flat screens and things like that will make them happy. But of course they don’t. Now the people of Kakalot didn’t want cars or TVs because there weren’t any such things. But they had jokes. And they knew that jokes are what really make people happy. So if we can find
The Ancient Book of H’ardi-har
we could publish it and everyone would read it and be happy and the world would be a better place.’
    ‘I’d be happier if I could just get down from this camel,’ Mrs Trifle said.
    ‘But you don’t get down from a camel,’ the professor said.
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘You don’t get
down
from a camel. You get down from a
duck!’
Professor Krakpott said, letting out a roar of laughter. ‘Get it? Down? Duck down? Oh, I always loved that one! See, a little joke and we’re happier already. Okay, camels:
sit!’
    All four camels suddenly knelt down and then sat, letting everyone climb off. Mrs Trifle lifted Selby from his saddle.
    Soon the bags had been taken off the camels. Selby watched as the others pitched the tent. He then went in and lay down in the shade as the Trifles and the professor dug hole after hole to try to find any sign of the ancient city.
    Selby looked out through the tent door and suddenly saw something strange in the distance.
    Mrs Trifle must have noticed it too because she said, ‘Why does it look all fuzzy over there?’
    ‘Oh my lordy-loo,’ the professor said, putting down his shovel. ‘A sandstorm! Quick! Into the tent!’
    In a second the air was filled with blowing sand. Everyone was inside now and Dr Trifle quickly zipped the tent door closed.
    ‘What about the camels?’ Mrs Trifle yelled over the roar of the wind.
    ‘They’re used to sandstorms,’ Professor Krakpott yelled back. ‘They just curl up with their backs to the wind and let the sand pile up against them.’
    ‘If they run away we’ll never get back,’ Dr Trifle said.
    ‘They won’t,’ the professor assured him.Late that night Selby awoke. The storm had stopped. He looked around at the Trifles and Professor Krakpott sleeping peacefully in their sleeping-bags.
    ‘Thank goodness it’s over,’ Selby thought. ‘I thought the tent would blow away. Oh, well, back to sleep. Only first I’ve got to go to the loo.’
    Selby went outside into the moonlight.
    ‘This is soooooo beautiful!’ he thought as he looked around at the silvery sand dunes. ‘But hang on. There’s something missing. The camels! Where are the camels?’
    Panic gripped Selby’s brain.
    ‘I’ve got to tell the others before the camels get too far away. But how can I tell them without giving away my secret? Oh, well, that doesn’t matter now. What matters is being able to get out of here.’
    Selby was about to yell, ‘Hey! Everyone! The camels are gone!’ but before he could, the ground moved beneath his feet.
    ‘Yikes! An earthquake!’ he thought.
    The sand shifted to one side and then rose up and up with Selby still standing on top.
    ‘Daisy! It’s you!’ Selby said, as the other camels lifted their heads from under the sand. ‘You were here all the time. And to think I almost gave away my secret for nothing.’
    Selby was about to jump down from Daisy’s back when the sleepy camel turned to see what was on top of her. Suddenly her eyes opened like saucers and she bolted away as fast as she could with Selby still clinging to her.
    ‘Stop!’ Selby yelled. ‘Don’t panic! It’s only me! Go back, you silly sausage! Whoa! Halt! Oh Daisy, please don’t go any further.’
    Selby