sometimes for chasing the chickens. Now look here, Toto," she
added, holding up her finger and speaking sternly to him, "you've got
to understand that Billina is one of my dearest friends, and musn't be
hurt--now or ever."

Toto wagged his tail as if he understood.

"The miserable thing can't talk," said Billina, with a sneer.

"Yes, he can," replied Dorothy; "he talks with his tail, and I know
everything he says. If you could wag your tail, Billina, you wouldn't
need words to talk with."

"Nonsense!" said Billina.

"It isn't nonsense at all. Just now Toto says he's sorry, and that
he'll try to love you for my sake. Don't you, Toto?"

"Bow-wow!" said Toto, wagging his tail again.

"But I've such wonderful news for you, Dorothy," cried the yellow hen;
"I've--"

"Wait a minute, dear," interrupted the little girl; "I've got to
introduce you all, first. That's manners, Billina. This," turning to
her traveling companions, "is Mr. Tik-tok, who works by machinery
'cause his thoughts wind up, and his talk winds up, and his action
winds up--like a clock."

"Do they all wind up together?" asked the shaggy man.

"No; each one separate. But he works just lovely, and Tik-tok was a
good friend to me once, and saved my life--and Billina's life, too."

"Is he alive?" asked Button-Bright, looking hard at the copper man.

"Oh, no, but his machinery makes him just as good as alive." She
turned to the copper man and said politely: "Mr. Tik-tok, these are my
new friends: the shaggy man, and Polly the Rainbow's Daughter, and
Button-Bright, and Toto. Only Toto isn't a new friend, 'cause he's
been to Oz before."

The copper man bowed low, removing his copper hat as he did so.

"I'm ve-ry pleased to meet Dor-o-thy's fr-r-r-r---" Here he stopped
short.

"Oh, I guess his speech needs winding!" said the little girl, running
behind the copper man to get the key off a hook at his back. She wound
him up at a place under his right arm and he went on to say:

"Par-don me for run-ning down. I was a-bout to say I am pleased to
meet Dor-o-thy's friends, who must be my friends." The words were
somewhat jerky, but plain to understand.

"And this is Billina," continued Dorothy, introducing the yellow hen,
and they all bowed to her in turn.

"I've such wonderful news," said the hen, turning her head so that one
bright eye looked full at Dorothy.

"What is it, dear?" asked the girl.

"I've hatched out ten of the lovelies