You'll
have to wind up his thoughts, Dorothy, or else I'll have to finish his
story myself."
Dorothy ran around and got the key again and wound up Tik-tok under
his left arm, after which he could speak plainly again.
"Par-don me," he said, "but when my thoughts run down, my speech has
no mean-ing, for words are formed on-ly by thought. I was a-bout to
say that Oz-ma sent us to wel-come you and in-vite you to come
straight to the Em-er-ald Ci-ty. She was too bus-y to come her-self,
for she is pre-par-ing for her birth-day cel-e-bra-tion, which is to
be a grand af-fair."
"I've heard of it," said Dorothy, "and I'm glad we've come in time to
attend. Is it far from here to the Emerald City?"
"Not ve-ry far," answered Tik-tok, "and we have plen-ty of time.
To-night we will stop at the pal-ace of the Tin Wood-man, and
to-mor-row night we will ar-rive at the Em-er-ald Ci-ty."
"Goody!" cried Dorothy. "I'd like to see dear Nick Chopper again.
How's his heart?"
"It's fine," said Billina; "the Tin Woodman says it gets softer and
kindlier every day. He's waiting at his castle to welcome you,
Dorothy; but he couldn't come with us because he's getting polished as
bright as possible for Ozma's party."
"Well then," said Dorothy, "let's start on, and we can talk more as we go."
They proceeded on their journey in a friendly group, for Polychrome
had discovered that the copper man was harmless and was no longer
afraid of him.
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