fb.ozmaofoz-第3部分

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　　〃Goodness　me！〃　returned　the　hen；　in　a　puzzled　tone；　〃how　queer　you　are；　Dorothy！Live　things　are　much　fresher　and　more　wholesome　than　dead　ones；　and　you　humans　eat　all　sorts　of　dead　creatures。〃
　　〃We　don't！〃　said　Dorothy。
　　〃You　do；　indeed；〃　answered　Billina。〃You　eat　lambs　and　sheep　and　cows　and　pigs　and　even　chickens。〃
　　〃But　we　cook　'em；〃　said　Dorothy；　triumphantly。
　　〃What　difference　does　that　make？〃
　　〃A　good　deal；〃　said　the　girl；　in　a　graver　tone。〃I　can't　just　'splain　the　diff'rence；　but　it's　there。And；　anyhow；　we　never　eat　such　dreadful　things　as　BUGS。〃
　　〃But　you　eat　the　chickens　that　eat　the　bugs；〃　retorted　the　yellow　hen；　with　an　odd　cackle。〃So　you　are　just　as　bad　as　we　chickens　are。〃
　　This　made　Dorothy　thoughtful。What　Billina　said　was　true　enough；　and　it　almost　took　away　her　appetite　for　breakfast。As　for　the　yellow　hen；　she　continued　to　peck　away　at　the　sand　busily；　and　seemed　quite　contented　with　her　bill…of…fare。
　　Finally；　down　near　the　water's　edge；　Billina　stuck　her　bill　deep　into　the　sand；　and　then　drew　back　and　shivered。
　　〃Ow！〃　she　cried。〃I　struck　metal；　that　time；　and　it　nearly　broke　my　beak。〃
　　〃It　prob'bly　was　a　rock；〃　said　Dorothy；　carelessly。
　　〃Nonsense。I　know　a　rock　from　metal；　I　guess；〃　said　the　hen。　〃There's　a　different　feel　to　it。〃
　　〃But　there　couldn't　be　any　metal　on　this　wild；　deserted　seashore；〃　persisted　the　girl。〃Where's　the　place？I'll　dig　it　up；　and　prove　to　you　I'm　right；〃
　　Billina　showed　her　the　place　where　she　had　〃stubbed　her　bill；〃　as　she　expressed　it；　and　Dorothy　dug　away　the　sand　until　she　felt　something　hard。Then；　thrusting　in　her　hand；　she　pulled　the　thing　out；　and　discovered　it　to　be　a　large　sized　golden　key…rather　old；　but　still　bright　and　of　perfect　shape。
　　〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　cried　the　hen；　with　a　cackle　of　triumph。〃Can　I　tell　metal　when　I　bump　into　it；　or　is　the　thing　a　rock？〃
　　〃It's　metal；　sure　enough；〃　answered　the　child；　gazing　thoughtfully　at　the　curious　thing　she　had　found。〃I　think　it　is　pure　gold；　and　it　must　have　lain　hidden　in　the　sand　for　a　long　time。How　do　you　suppose　it　came　there；　Billina？And　what　do　you　suppose　this　mysterious　key　unlocks？〃
　　〃I　can't　say；〃　replied　the　hen。〃You　ought　to　know　more　about　locks　and　keys　than　I　do。〃
　　Dorothy　glanced　around。There　was　no　sign　of　any　house　in　that　part　of　the　country；　and　she　reasoned　that　every　key　must　fit　a　lock　and　every　lock　must　have　a　purpose。Perhaps　the　key　had　been　lost　by　somebody　who　lived　far　away；　but　had　wandered　on　this　very　shore。
　　Musing　on　these　things　the　girl　put　the　key　in　the　pocket　of　her　dress　and　then　slowly　drew　on　her　shoes　and　stockings；　which　the　sun　had　fully　dried。
　　〃I　b'lieve；　Billina；〃　she　said；　〃I'll　have　a　look　'round；　and　see　if　I　can　find　some　breakfast。〃
　　
　　　3。Letters　in　the　Sand
　　
　　Walking　a　little　way　back　from　the　water's　edge；　toward　the　grove　of　trees；　Dorothy　came　to　a　flat　stretch　of　white　sand　that　seemed　to　have　queer　signs　marked　upon　its　surface；　just　as　one　would　write　upon　sand　with　a　stick。
　　〃What　does　it　say？〃　she　asked　the　yellow　hen；　who　trotted　along　beside　her　in　a　rather　dignified　fashion。
　　〃How　should　I　know？〃　returned　the　hen。〃I　cannot　read。〃
　　〃Oh！Can't　you？〃
　　〃Certainly　not；　I've　never　been　to　school；　you　know。〃
　　〃Well；　I　have；〃　admitted　Dorothy；　〃but　the　letters　are　big　and　far　apart；　and　it's　hard　to　spell　out　the　words。〃
　　But　she　looked　at　each　letter　carefully；　and　finally　discovered　that　these　words　were　written　in　the　sand：
　　
　　〃BEWARE　THE　WHEELERS！〃
　　
　　〃That's　rather　strange；〃　declared　the　hen；　when　Dorothy　had　read　aloud　the　words。〃What　do　you　suppose　the　Wheelers　are？〃
　　〃Folks　that　wheel；　I　guess。They　must　have　wheelbarrows；　or　baby…cabs　or　hand…carts；〃　said　Dorothy。
　　〃Perhaps　they're　automobiles；〃　suggested　the　yellow　hen。〃There　is　no　need　to　beware　of　baby…cabs　and　wheelbarrows；　but　automobiles　are　dangerous　things。Several　of　my　friends　have　been　run　over　by　them。〃
　　〃It　can't　be　auto'biles；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃for　this　is　a　new；　wild　country；　without　even　trolley…cars　or　tel'phones。The　people　here　haven't　been　discovered　yet；　I'm　sure；　that　is；　if　there　ARE　any　people。
　　So　I　don't　b'lieve　there　CAN　be　any　auto'biles；　Billina。〃
　　〃Perhaps　not；〃　admitted　the　yellow　hen。〃Where　are　you　going　now？〃
　　〃Over　to　those　trees；　to　see　if　I　can　find　some　fruit　or　nuts；〃　answered　Dorothy。
　　She　tramped　across　the　sand；　skirting　the　foot　of　one　of　the　little　rocky　hills　that　stood　near；　and　soon　reached　the　edge　of　the　forest。
　　At　first　she　was　greatly　disappointed；　because　the　nearer　trees　were　all　punita；　or　cotton…wood　or　eucalyptus；　and　bore　no　fruit　or　nuts　at　all。　But；　bye　and　bye；　when　she　was　almost　in　despair；　the　little　girl　came　upon　two　trees　that　promised　to　furnish　her　with　plenty　of　food。
　　One　was　quite　full　of　square　paper　boxes；　which　grew　in　clusters　on　all　the　limbs；　and　upon　the　biggest　and　ripest　boxes　the　word　〃Lunch〃　could　be　read；　in　neat　raised　letters。This　tree　seemed　to　bear　all　the　year　around；　for　there　were　lunch…box　blossoms　on　some　of　the　branches；　and　on　others　tiny　little　lunch…boxes　that　were　as　yet　quite　green；　and　evidently　not　fit　to　eat　until　they　had　grown　bigger。
　　The　leaves　of　this　tree　were　all　paper　napkins；　and　it　presented　a　very　pleasing　appearance　to　the　hungry　little　girl。
　　But　the　tree　next　to　the　lunch…box　tree　was　even　more　wonderful；　for　it　bore　quantities　of　tin　dinner…pails；　which　were　so　full　and　heavy　that　the　stout　branches　bent　underneath　their　weight。Some　were　small　and　dark…brown　in　color；　those　larger　were　of　a　dull　tin　color；　but　the　really　ripe　ones　were　pails　of　bright　tin　that　shone　and　glistened　beautifully　in　the　rays　of　sunshine　that　touched　them。
　　Dorothy　was　delighted；　and　even　the　yellow　hen　acknowledged　that　she　was　surprised。
　　The　little　girl　stood　on　tip…toe　and　picked　one　of　the　nicest　and　biggest　lunch…boxes；　and　then　she　sat　down　upon　the　ground　and　eagerly　opened　it。Inside　she　found；　nicely　wrapped　in　white　papers；　a　ham　sandwich；　a　piece　of　sponge…cake；　a　pickle；　a　slice　of　new　cheese　and　an　apple。Each　thing　had　a　separate　stem；　and　so　had　to　be　picked　off　the　side　of　the　box；　but　Dorothy　found　them　all　to　be　delicious；　and　she　ate　every　bit　of　luncheon　in　the　box　before　she　had　finished。
　　〃A　lunch　isn't　zactly　breakfast；〃　she　said　to　Billina；　who　sat　beside　her　curiously　watching。〃But　when　one　is　hungry　one　can　eat　even　supper　in　the　morning；　and　not　plain。〃
　　〃I　hope　your　lunch…box　was　perfectly　ripe；〃　observed　the　yellow　hen；　in　a　anxious　tone。〃So　much　sickness　is　caused　by　eating　green　things。〃
　　〃Oh；　I'm　sure　it　was　ripe；〃　declared　Dorothy；　〃all；　that　is；　'cept　the　pickle；　and　a　pickle　just　HAS　to　be　green；　Billina。But　everything　tasted　perfectly　splendid；　and　I'd　rather　have　it　than　a　church　picnic。
　　And　now　I　think　I'll　pick　a　dinner…pail；　to　have　when　I　get　hungry　again；　and　then　we'll　start　out　and　'splore　the　country；　and　see　where　we　are。〃
　　〃Haven't　you　any　idea　what　country　this　is？〃　inquired　Billina。
　　〃None　at　all。But　listen：　I'm　quite　sure　it's　a　fairy　country；　or　such　things　as　lunch…boxes　and　dinner…pails　wouldn't　be　growing　upon　trees。
　　Besides；　Billina；　being　a　hen；　you　wouldn't　be　able　to　talk　in　any　civ'lized　country；　like　Kansas；　where　no　fairies　live　at　all。〃
　　〃Perhaps　we're　in　the　Land　of　Oz；〃　said　the　hen；　thoughtfully。
　　〃No；　that　can't　be；〃　answered　the　little　girl；　because　I've　been　to　the　Land　of　Oz；　and　it's　all　surrounded　by　a　horrid　desert　that　no　one　can　cross。〃
　　〃Then　how　did　you　get　away　from　there　again？〃　asked　Billina。
　　〃I　had　a　pair　of　silver　shoes；　that　carried　me　through　the　air；　but　I　lost　them；〃　said　Dorothy。
　　〃Ah；　indeed；〃　remarked　the　yellow　hen；　in　a　tone　of　unbelief。
　　〃Anyhow；〃　resumed　the　girl；　〃there　is　no　seashore　near　the　Land　of　Oz；　so　this　must　surely　be　some　other　fairy　country。〃
　　While　she　was　speaking　she　selected　a　bright　and　pretty　dinner…pail　that　seemed　to　have　a　stout　handle；　and　picked　it　from　its　branch。　Then；　acpanied　by　the　yellow　hen；　she　walked　out　of　the　shadow　of　the　trees　toward　the　sea…shore。
　　They　were　part　way　across　the　sands　when　Billina　suddenly　cried；　in　a　voice　of　terror：
　　〃What's　that？〃
　　Dorothy　turned　quickly　around；　and　saw　ing　out　of　a　path　that　led　from　between　the　trees　the　most　peculiar　person　her　eyes　had　ever　beheld。
　　It　had　the　form　of　a　man；　except　that　it　walked；　or　rather　rolled；　upon　all　fours；　and　its　legs　were　the　same　length　as　its　arms；　giving　them　the　appearance　of　the　four　legs　of　a　beast。Yet　it　was　no　beast　that　Dorothy　had　discovered；　for　the　person　was　clothed　most　gorgeously　in　embroidered　garments　of　many　colors；　and　wore　a　straw　hat　perched　jauntily　upon　the　side　of　its　head。But　it　differed　from　human　beings　in　this　respect；　that　instead　of　hands　and　feet　there　grew　at　the　end　of　its　arms　and　legs　round　wheels；　and　by　means　of　these　wheels　it　rolled　very　swiftly　over　the　level　ground。Afterward　Dorothy　found　that　these　odd　wheels　were　of　the　same　hard　substance　that　our　finger…nails　and　toe…nails　are　posed　of；　and　she　also　learned　that　creatures　of　this　strange　ra