"Oh, Tik-tok ! " cried Dorothy, running forward When she came to him, the copper man lifted the little girl copper arms and kissed her cheek copper lips

"Oh, Billina ! " cried Dorothy, in glad voice, yellow hen flew to her arms, hugged and petted by turns

The others were curiously crowding around the group, girl said :

"It's Tik-tok and Billina; and oh ! I'm so them again "

"Wel-come to Oz," said the copper man in monotonous voice

Dorothy sat right down road, the yellow hen in her arms, and began to stroke Billina's back Said the hen:

"Dorothy, dear, I've got some wonderful news you "

"Tell it quick, Billina ! " said the girl

Just then Toto, who growling to himself in cross way, gave sharp bark and flew yellow hen, who ruffled her feathers and let out such an angry screech that Dorothy was startled

"Stop, Toto ! Stop minute ! " she commanded "Can't that Billina is my friend ? " warning had she not grabbed Toto quickly neck the little dog done the yellow hen mischief, and even now he struggled madly to escape Dorothy's grasp She slapped his ears and told him to behave, yellow hen flew to Tik-tok's shoulder again, where she was safe

"What brute ! " croaked Billina, glaring down little dog

"Toto isn't brute," replied Dorothy, "but at home Uncle Henry whip him 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 dearest friends, and musn't be hurt--now or ever "

Toto wagged his tail he understood

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

"Yes, ," replied Dorothy; "he talks tail, and everything wag your tail, Billina, you wouldn't need words with "

"Nonsense ! " said Billina

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

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

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

"Wait 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, talk winds up, action winds up--like clock "

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

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

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

"Oh, no, but his machinery makes him just as good as alive " She turned 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 new friend, 'cause he's been to Oz before "

The copper man bowed low, removing his copper hat as 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 the key off hook at his back She wound him up at place under his right arm and he went on :

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

"And Billina," continued Dorothy, introducing the yellow hen, all bowed to her in turn

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

" it, dear ? " asked the girl

"I've hatched out ten loveliest chicks you ever saw "

"Oh, how nice ! And where are they, Billina ? "

"I left them at home But they're beauties, I assure you, and all wonderfully clever I've named them Dorothy "

"Which one ? " asked the girl

"All ," replied Billina

"That's funny Why did you name them all same name ? "

" so hard them apart," explained the hen "Now, when I call 'Dorothy,' they all come running in bunch; it's much easier, after all, than having separate name for each "

"I'm just dying 'em, Billina," said Dorothy, eagerly "But tell me, my friends, how did you happen here, Country Winkies, the first of all to meet us ? "

"I'll tell you," answered Tik-tok, monotonous voice, all the sounds words being on one level--"Prin-cess Oz-ma saw you in her mag-ic pic-ture, and knew you were com-ing here; so she sent Bil-lin-a and me to wel-come you as come her-self; --fiz-i-dig-le cum-so-lut-ing hy-ber-gob-ble in-tu-zib-ick--"

"Good gracious ! Whatever's the matter now ? " cried Dorothy, copper man continued to babble these unmeaning words, which no one could understand at all because they had no sense

"Don't know," said Button-Bright, who was half scared Polly whirled away to distance and turned to look copper man in fright

"His thoughts have run down, ," remarked Billina composedly, as she sat on Tik-tok's shoulder and pruned her sleek feathers "When 't think, 't talk properly, any more than You'll have to wind up his thoughts, Dorothy, or else I'll have to finish his story myself "

Dorothy ran around and got the key again and wound up Tik-tok under his left arm, after which speak plainly again

"Par-don me," , "but when my thoughts run down, my speech has no mean-ing, for words are formed on-ly by thought a-bout that Oz-ma sent us to wel-come you and in-vite you straight Em-er-ald Ci-ty She was too bus-y her-self, for pre-par-ing for her birth-day cel-e-bra-tion, grand af-fair "

"I've heard of it," said Dorothy, "and I'm glad we've come to attend far from here Emerald City ? "

"Not ve-ry far," answered Tik-tok, "and plen-ty To-night stop pal-ace Tin Wood-man, and to-mor-row night ar-rive Em-er-ald Ci-ty "

"Goody ! " cried Dorothy "I'd like dear Nick Chopper again How's his heart ? "

"It's fine," said Billina; "the Tin Woodman says it gets softer and kindlier every day He's waiting at his castle to welcome you, Dorothy; but he couldn't come because he's getting polished as bright as possible for Ozma's party "

"Well then," said Dorothy, "let's start on, and talk more go "

They proceeded on their journey in friendly group, for Polychrome had discovered copper man was harmless and was no longer afraid of him Button-Bright was also reassured, and took quite fancy to Tik-tok the clockwork man to open himself, he might see the wheels go round; but that was thing Tik-tok do Button-Bright then wanted to wind up the copper man, and Dorothy promised any part machinery ran down This pleased Button-Bright, who held fast to one of Tik-tok's copper hands as he trudged along the road, while Dorothy walked other side of her old friend and Billina perched by turns upon his shoulder or his copper hat Polly once more joyously danced ahead and Toto ran after her, barking with glee The shaggy man was left to walk behind; but he didn't seem to mind that bit,and whistled merrily or looked curiously pretty scenes they passed

At last they came to hilltop the tin castle of Nick Chopper could plainly be seen, its towers glistening magnificently under the rays declining sun

"How pretty ! " exclaimed Dorothy "I've never seen the Emp'ror's new house before "

"He built it because the old castle was damp, and likely to rust his tin body," said Billina "All those towers and steeples and domes and gables took lot of tin, see "

" toy ? " asked Button-Bright softly

"No, dear," answered Dorothy; "it's better than that It's the fairy dwelling of fairy prince "

15 The Emperor's Tin Castle

The grounds around Nick Chopper's new house were laid out in pretty flower-beds, with fountains of crystal water and statues of tin representing the Emperor's personal friends Dorothy was astonished and delighted tin statue of herself standing on tin pedestal at bend avenue leading entrance life-size and showed her in her sunbonnet with her basket on her arm, just as she had first appeared Land of Oz

"Oh, Toto--you're there too ! " she exclaimed; and sure enough the tin figure of Toto lying tin Dorothy's feet

Also, Dorothy saw figures Scarecrow, Wizard, and Ozma, and of many others, including Tik-tok They reached the grand tin entrance tin castle, Tin Woodman himself came running door to embrace little Dorothy and give her glad welcome He welcomed her friends , Rainbow's Daughter he declared the loveliest vision his tin eyes had ever beheld He patted Button-Bright's curly head tenderly, for fond of children, and turned shaggy man and shook both his hands same time

Nick Chopper, the Emperor Winkies, who was also known Land of Oz Tin Woodman, was certainly remarkable person neatly made, all of tin, nicely soldered joints, various limbs were cleverly hinged body use them nearly as common flesh Once, the shaggy man, he made all of flesh and bones, as other people are, and then he chopped wood forests to earn his living But the axe slipped so often and cut off parts of him--which he had replaced with tin--that finally no flesh left, nothing but tin; so he became real tin woodman The wonderful Wizard of Oz had given him an excellent heart to replace his old one, and he didn't at all mind being tin loved him, he loved ; and therefore as happy day was long

The Emperor was proud new tin castle, and showed his visitors through all the rooms Every bit furniture of brightly polished tin--the tables, chairs, beds, and all--even the floors and walls were of tin

"I suppose," said he, " no cleverer tinsmiths in all the world Winkies It hard to match this castle in Kansas; wouldn't it, little Dorothy ? "

"Very hard," replied the child, gravely

"It cost lot of money," remarked the shaggy man

"Money ! Money in Oz ! " cried the Tin Woodman "What queer idea ! Did you suppose so vulgar use money here ? "