Perched on the copper man's shoulder sat a yellow hen, with fluffy
feathers and a pearl necklace around her throat.
"Oh, Tik-tok!" cried Dorothy, running forward. When she came to him,
the copper man lifted the little girl in his copper arms and kissed
her cheek with his copper lips.
"Oh, Billina!" cried Dorothy, in a glad voice, and the yellow hen flew
to her arms, to be hugged and petted by turns.
The others were curiously crowding around the group, and the girl said
to them:
"It's Tik-tok and Billina; and oh! I'm so glad to see them again."
"Wel-come to Oz," said the copper man in a monotonous voice.
Dorothy sat right down in the road, the yellow hen in her arms, and
began to stroke Billina's back. Said the hen:
"Dorothy, dear, I've got some wonderful news to tell you."
"Tell it quick, Billina!" said the girl.
Just then Toto, who had been growling to himself in a cross way, gave
a sharp bark and flew at the yellow hen, who ruffled her feathers and
let out such an angry screech that Dorothy was startled.
"Stop, Toto! Stop that this minute!" she commanded. "Can't you see
that Billina is my friend?" In spite of this warning had she not
grabbed Toto quickly by the neck the little dog would have done the
yellow hen a mischief, and even now he struggled madly to escape
Dorothy's grasp. She slapped his ears once or twice and told him to
behave, and the yellow hen flew to Tik-tok's shoulder again, where she
was safe.
Pages:
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108