Button-Bright was also reassured, and took quite a
fancy to Tik-tok. He wanted the clockwork man to open himself, so that
he might see the wheels go round; but that was a thing Tik-tok could
not do. Button-Bright then wanted to wind up the copper man, and
Dorothy promised he should do so as soon as any part of the machinery
ran down. This pleased Button-Bright, who held fast to one of
Tik-tok's copper hands as he trudged along the road, while Dorothy
walked on the other side of her old friend and Billina perched by
turns upon his shoulder or his copper hat. Polly once more joyously
danced ahead and Toto ran after her, barking with glee. The shaggy
man was left to walk behind; but he didn't seem to mind that a bit,and
whistled merrily or looked curiously upon the pretty scenes they passed.
At last they came to a hilltop from which the tin castle of Nick
Chopper could plainly be seen, its towers glistening magnificently
under the rays of the declining sun.
"How pretty!" exclaimed Dorothy. "I've never seen the Emp'ror's new
house before."
"He built it because the old castle was damp, and likely to rust his
tin body," said Billina. "All those towers and steeples and domes and
gables took a lot of tin, as you can see."
"Is it a toy?" asked Button-Bright softly.
"No, dear," answered Dorothy; "it's better than that.
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