Cluck--cluck! come here, Dorothy--this minute!" she
cried, for the chickens were scattered and wandering all around the
big room.
They obeyed the call at once, and came running as fast as they could,
fluttering their fluffy wings in a laughable way.
It was lucky that Billina gathered the little ones under her soft
breast just then, for Tik-tok came in and tramped up to the throne on
his flat copper feet.
"I am all wound up and work-ing fine-ly," said the clock-work
man to Dorothy.
"I can hear him tick," declared Button-Bright.
"You are quite the polished gentleman," said the Tin Woodman. "Stand
up here beside the shaggy man, Tik-tok, and help receive the company."
Dorothy placed soft cushions in a corner for Billina and her chicks,
and had just returned to the Throne and seated herself when the
playing of the royal band outside the palace announced the approach of
distinguished guests.
And my, how they did stare when the High Chamberlain threw open the
doors and the visitors entered the Throne-Room!
First walked a gingerbread man neatly formed and baked to a lovely
brown tint. He wore a silk hat and carried a candy cane prettily
striped with red and yellow. His shirt-front and cuffs were white
frosting, and the buttons on his coat were licorice drops.
Behind the gingerbread man came a child with flaxen hair and merry
blue eyes, dressed in white pajamas, with sandals on the soles of its
pretty bare feet.
Pages:
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149