"Run ! " screamed the yellow hen, fluttering away in great fright "It's Wheeler ! "

"A Wheeler ? " exclaimed Dorothy "What can that be ? "

"Don't you remember the warning sand: 'Beware the Wheelers' ? Run, I tell you--run ! "

So Dorothy ran, Wheeler gave sharp, wild cry and came after her in full chase

Looking over her shoulder as she ran, the girl now saw great procession of Wheelers emerging forest--dozens and dozens --all clad in splendid, tight-fitting garments and all rolling swiftly toward her and uttering their wild, strange cries

"They're sure to catch us ! " panted the girl, who was still carrying the heavy dinner-pail she had picked " 't run much farther, Billina "

"Climb up this hill,--quick ! " said the hen; and Dorothy found she was very near heap of loose and jagged rocks they had passed on their way forest The yellow hen was even now fluttering rocks, and Dorothy followed as best , half climbing and half tumbling up the rough and rugged steep

She was none too soon, foremost Wheeler reached the hill moment after her; but while the girl scrambled up the rocks the creature stopped short with howls of rage and disappointment

Dorothy now heard the yellow hen laughing, in her cackling, henny way

"Don't hurry, my dear," cried Billina " 't follow us rocks, so we're safe enough now "

Dorothy stopped at once and sat down upon broad boulder, for she was all out of breath

The rest Wheelers had now reached the foot hill, but evident that their wheels roll rough and jagged rocks, and therefore they were helpless Dorothy hen to where they had taken refuge But they circled all around the little hill, so the child and Billina were fast prisoners and come down without being captured

Then the creatures shook their front wheels at Dorothy in threatening manner, and it seemed they were able as their dreadful outcries, for several shouted:

"We'll get you , never fear ! And when get you, we'll tear you into little bits ! "

"Why so cruel ? " asked Dorothy "I'm stranger in your country, and you no harm "

"No harm ! " cried one who seemed their leader "Did you not pick our lunch-boxes and dinner-pails ? not stolen dinner-pail still in your hand ? "

"I only picked one of each," she answered " hungry, and I didn't know the trees were yours "

" no excuse," retorted the leader, who was clothed in most gorgeous suit " law here that whoever picks dinner-pail without our permission must die immediately "

"Don't you believe him," said Billina "I'm sure the trees belong awful creatures fit for any mischief, and it's my opinion try to kill us just the same hadn't picked dinner-pail "

" so, too," agreed Dorothy "But what shall now ? "

"Stay where ," advised the yellow hen " safe Wheelers until we starve to death, anyhow; and comes things can happen "

4 Tiktok the Machine Man

After an hour or so most band of Wheelers rolled back forest, leaving only three number to guard the hill These curled themselves up like big dogs and pretended to sleep sands; but neither Dorothy nor Billina were fooled trick, so they remained in security rocks and paid no attention cunning enemies

Finally the hen, fluttering over the mound, exclaimed: "Why, here's path ! "

So Dorothy at once clambered to where Billina sat, and there, sure enough, was smooth path cut rocks It seemed to wind around the mound from top to bottom, like cork-screw, twisting here and there rough boulders but always remaining level and easy to walk upon

Indeed, Dorothy wondered at first why the Wheelers roll up this path; but when she followed it foot mound she found that several big pieces of rock placed directly across the end way, thus preventing outside from seeing it and also preventing the Wheelers from using it to climb up the mound

Then Dorothy walked back up the path, and followed it until she came very top hill, where solitary round rock stood that was bigger than any others surrounding it The path came to an end just beside this great rock, and for moment it puzzled the girl why the path made at all But the hen, who gravely following her around and was now perched upon point of rock behind Dorothy, suddenly remarked:

"It looks something like door, doesn't it ? "

"What looks like door ? " enquired the child

"Why, that crack rock, just facing you," replied Billina, whose little round eyes were very sharp and seemed everything "It runs up one side and down the other, and across the top bottom "

"What does ? "

"Why, the crack So it door of rock, although any hinges "

"Oh, yes," said Dorothy, now observing first time the crack rock "And isn't this key-hole, Billina ? " pointing to round, deep hole at one side door

" only had the key, now, unlock it what ," replied the yellow hen " it's treasure chamber full of diamonds and rubies, or heaps of shining gold, or--"

"That reminds me," said Dorothy, " golden key I picked up shore would fit this key-hole, Billina ? "

"Try it ," suggested the hen

So Dorothy searched pocket of her dress and found the golden key And when she had put it hole rock, and turned it, sudden sharp snap was heard; then, with solemn creak that made the shivers run down the child's back, the face rock fell outward, like door on hinges, and revealed small dark chamber just inside

"Good gracious ! " cried Dorothy, shrinking back as far narrow path would let her

For, standing narrow chamber of rock, form of man--or, , it seemed like man, dim light only about as tall as Dorothy herself, body was round as ball and made out of burnished copper Also his head and limbs were copper, and these were jointed or hinged body in peculiar way, with metal caps over the joints, like the armor worn by knights in days of old He stood perfectly still, and where the light struck upon his form it glittered made of pure gold

"Don't be frightened," called Billina, from her perch "It isn't alive "

" it isn't," replied the girl, drawing long breath

" only made out of copper, like the old kettle barn-yard at home," continued the hen, turning her head first to one side and then other, both her little round eyes could examine the object

"Once," said Dorothy, " man made out of tin, who was woodman named Nick Chopper But as alive , 'cause born real man, and got his tin body little --first leg and then finger and then an ear-- reason that he had accidents axe, and cut himself up in very careless manner "

"Oh," said the hen, with sniff, she believe the story

"But this copper man," continued Dorothy, looking at it with big eyes, " alive at all, and I wonder what it for, and why locked up queer place "

" mystery," remarked the hen, twisting her head to arrange her wing-feathers with her bill

Dorothy stepped inside the little room back view copper man, and discovered printed card that hung between his shoulders, it being suspended from small copper peg back neck She unfastened this card and returned path, where the light was better, and sat herself down upon slab of rock to read the printing

"What does it say ? " asked the hen, curiously

Dorothy read the card aloud, spelling out the big words with some difficulty; and what she read:

+----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | SMITH & TINKER'S | | Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive, | | Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking | | MECHANICAL MAN | | Fitted Special Clock-Work Attachment | | Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything but Live | | Manufactured only at our Works at Evna, Land of Ev | | All infringements promptly Prosecuted according to Law | | | +----------------------------------------------------------------+

"How queer ! " said the yellow hen " all true, my dear ? "

"I don't know," answered Dorothy, who had more to read "Listen , Billina:"

+--------------------------------------------------+ | | | DIRECTIONS FOR USING: | | For THINKING:--Wind the Clock-work Man under his | | left arm, (marked No 1 ) | | For SPEAKING:--Wind the Clock-work Man under his | | right arm, (marked No 2 ) | | For WALKING and ACTION:--Wind Clock-work | | middle back, (marked No 3 ) | | N B --This Mechanism is guaranteed to work | | perfectly for thousand years | | | +--------------------------------------------------+

"Well, I declare ! " gasped the yellow hen, in amazement; " copper man can do half things very wonderful machine But I suppose all humbug, like so patented articles "

" wind him up," suggested Dorothy, " what he'll do "

"Where key clock-work ? " asked Billina

"Hanging peg where the card "

"Then," said the hen, " try him, and find out if go warranted for thousand years, it seems; but know how long he standing inside this rock "

Dorothy had already taken the clock key peg

"Which shall I wind up first ? " she asked, looking again directions card

"Number One, think," returned Billina "That makes him think, doesn't it ? "

"Yes," said Dorothy, and wound up Number One, under the left arm

"He doesn't seem any different," remarked the hen, critically

"Why, not; only thinking, now," said Dorothy