Oz 03: Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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with claws and beak, for I_knew if I fell into_the water I'd surely be drowned . indeed, I nearly drowned, as it_was, with all that water washing over me .I never was so wet before in my life ! "

" yes," agreed Dorothy, " it_was pretty wet, for a time, I_know . but do_you feel comfor'ble now ? "

" not very . the sun has helped to dry my feathers, as it has your dress, and I_feel better since I laid my morning egg . but what's to_become of us, i_should like to_know, afloat on_this big pond ? "

"I'd like to_know that, too," said Dorothy ." but, tell me; how does it happen that you_are able to_talk ? i_thought hens could only cluck and cackle ."

" why, as for_that," answered the yellow hen thoughtfully, "I've clucked and cackled all my life, and never spoken a word before this_morning, that I_can remember . but when_you asked a question, a minute ago, it seemed the most natural thing in_the_world to answer you . so I spoke, and I seem to_keep on speaking, just as_you and other human beings do . strange, isn't it ? "

" very," replied Dorothy ." if_we were in_the land of Oz, I wouldn't think it so queer, because many_of_the animals can talk in_that fairy country . but out here in_the ocean must_be a good long way from Oz ."

" how is my grammar ? " asked the yellow hen, anxiously ." do I speak quite properly, in your judgment ? "

" yes," said Dorothy, " you_do very_well, for abeginner ."

"I'm glad_to_know that," continued the yellow hen, in a confidential tone; " because, if one is going to_talk, it's best to_talk correctly . the red rooster has often said that my cluck and my cackle were quite perfect; and now it's a comfort to_know I_am talking properly ."

"I'm beginning to_get hungry," remarked Dorothy ." it's breakfast time; but there's no breakfast ."

" you_may_have my egg," said the yellow hen ."I don't care for_it, you_know ."

"Don't you_want to hatch it ? " asked the little girl, in surprise .

" no, indeed; I never care to hatch eggs unless I've a nice snug nest, in some quiet place, with a baker's dozen of eggs under me . that's thirteen, you_know, and it's a lucky number for hens . so you_may as_well eat this egg ."

"Oh, I couldn't POSS'BLY eat it, unless it_was cooked," exclaimed Dorothy ." but I'm much obliged for your kindness, just the same ."

"Don't mention it, my dear," answered the hen, calmly, and began preening her feathers .

for a moment Dorothy stood looking out over the wide sea . she was still thinking of_the egg, though; so presently she asked:

" why do_you lay eggs, when_you don't expect to hatch them ? "

" it's a habit I_have," replied the yellow hen ." it has always been my pride to lay a fresh egg every morning, except when I'm moulting .I never feel like having my morning cackle till the egg is properly laid, and without the chance to cackle I would_not_be happy ."

" it's strange," said the girl, reflectively; " but as I'm not ahen I_can't be 'spected to understand that ."

" certainly not, my dear ."

then Dorothy fell silent again . the yellow hen was some company, and a bit of comfort, too; but it_was dreadfully lonely out on_the big ocean, nevertheless .

after a time the hen flew up and perched upon_the topmost slat of_the coop, which_was a little above Dorothy's head when she was sitting upon_the bottom, as she had_been doing for some moments past .

" why, we_are_not far from land ! " exclaimed the hen .

" where ? where is_it ? " cried Dorothy, jumping up in great excitement .

" over there a little way," answered the hen, nodding her head in a certain direction ." we seem_to_be drifting toward it, so_that before noon we ought to_find ourselves upon dry land again ."

" I_shall like that ! " said Dorothy, with a little sigh, for her feet and legs were still wetted now_and_then by_the sea- water that came through_the open slats .

" so shall I," answered her companion ." there_is nothing in_the_world so miserable as a wet hen ."

the land, which they seemed to_be rapidly approaching, since it grew more distinct every_minute, was quite beautiful as viewed by_the little girl in_the floating hen- coop . next to_the water was a broad beach of white sand and gravel, and farther back were several rocky hills, while beyond these appeared a strip of green trees that marked the edge of a forest . but there were no houses to_be seen, nor any sign of people who_might inhabit this unknown land .

" I_hope we_shall find something to eat," said Dorothy, looking eagerly at_the pretty beach toward which they drifted ." it's long past breakfast time, now ."

"I'm a trifle hungry, myself," declared the yellow hen .

" why don't you eat the egg ? " asked the child ." you don't need to_have your food cooked, as I_do ."

" do_you take me for a cannibal ? " cried the hen, indignantly ." I_do_not know what I_have said or done that leads you to insult me ! "

"I beg your pardon, I'm sure Mrs -- Mrs -- by_the_way, may I inquire your_name, MA'am ? " asked the little girl .

" my name is bill," said the yellow hen, somewhat gruffly .

" bill ! why, that's a boy's name ."

" what difference does that make ? "

" you're a lady hen, aren't you ? "

" of_course . but when i_was first hatched out no one could tell whether i_was going to_be ahen or a rooster; so the little boy at_the farm where i_was born called me bill, and made a pet of me because I was_the only yellow chicken in_the whole brood . when I grew up, and he_found that I didn't crow and fight, as all the roosters do, he_did_not think to_change my name, and every creature in_the barn- yard, as_well as_the people in_the house, knew me as ' bill .' so bill I've always been called, and bill is my name ."

" but it's all wrong, you_know," declared Dorothy, earnestly; " and, if_you don't mind, I_shall call you 'Billina .' Putting the 'eena' on_the end makes it a girl's name, you_see ."

"Oh, I don't mind it in_the least," returned the yellow hen ." it doesn't matter at all what you call me, so_long as I_know the name means me ."

" very_well, Billina . my name is Dorothy gale-- just Dorothy to my friends and miss gale to strangers . you_may call me Dorothy, if_you like . we're getting very near the shore . do_you suppose it_is too deep for_me to wade the rest of_the way ? "

" wait a few_minutes longer . the sunshine is warm and pleasant, and we_are in no hurry ."

" but my feet are all wet and soggy," said the girl ." my dress is dry enough, but I won't feel real comfor'ble till I get my feet dried ."

she waited, however, as_the hen advised, and before long the big wooden coop grated gently on_the sandy beach and_the dangerous voyage was over .

it did_not take_the castaways long to reach the shore, you_may_be_sure . the yellow hen flew to_the sands at once, but Dorothy had to climb over the high slats . still, for a country girl, that was not much of a feat, and as_soon_as she was safe ashore Dorothy drew off her wet shoes and stockings and spread them upon_the sun- warmed beach to dry .

then she sat down and watched Billina, who was pick-pecking away with her sharp bill in_the sand and gravel, which she scratched up and turned over with her strong claws .

" what_are you doing ? " asked Dorothy .

"Getting my breakfast, of_course," murmured the hen, busily pecking away .

" what do_you find ? " inquired the girl, curiously .

"Oh, some fat red ants, and some sand-bugs, and once in a while a tiny crab . they_are very sweet and nice, I assure you ."

" how dreadful ! " exclaimed Dorothy, in a shocked voice .

" what_is dreadful ? " asked the hen, lifting her head to gaze with one bright eye at her companion .

" why, eating live things, and horrid bugs, and crawly ants . you ought_to_be ' shamed of yourself ! "

" 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

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