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time a glad cry. |
"Oh, Billina!" she said; "how fat and sleek you've grown." |
"Why shouldn't I?" asked the hen, in a sharp, clear voice. "I live on |
the fat of the land--don't I, Ozma?" |
"You have everything you wish for," said the Princess. |
Around Billina's neck was a string of beautiful pearls, and on her legs |
were bracelets of emeralds. She nestled herself comfortably in Dorothy's |
lap until the kitten gave a snarl of jealous anger and leaped up with a |
sharp claw fiercely bared to strike Billina a blow. But the little girl |
gave the angry kitten such a severe cuff that it jumped down again |
without daring to scratch. |
"How horrid of you, Eureka!" cried Dorothy. "Is that the way to treat my |
friends?" |
"You have queer friends, seems to me," replied the kitten, in a surly |
tone. |
"Seems to me the same way," said Billina, scornfully, "if that beastly |
cat is one of them." |
"Look here!" said Dorothy, sternly. "I won't have any quarrelling in the |
Land of Oz, I can tell you! Everybody lives in peace here, and loves |
everybody else; and unless you two, Billina and Eureka, make up and be |
friends, I'll take my Magic Belt and wish you both home again, |
_immejitly_. So, there!" |
They were both much frightened at the threat, and promised meekly to be |
good. But it was never noticed that they became very warm friends, for |
all of that. |
And now the Tin Woodman arrived, his body most beautifully |
nickle-plated, so that it shone splendidly in the brilliant light of the |
room. The Tin Woodman loved Dorothy most tenderly, and welcomed with joy |
the return of the little old Wizard. |
"Sir," said he to the latter, "I never can thank you enough for the |
excellent heart you once gave me. It has made me many friends, I assure |
you, and it beats as kindly and lovingly today as it ever did." |
"I'm glad to hear that," said the Wizard. "I was afraid it would get |
moldy in that tin body of yours." |
"Not at all," returned Nick Chopper. "It keeps finely, being preserved |
in my air-tight chest." |
Zeb was a little shy when first introduced to these queer people; but |
they were so friendly and sincere that he soon grew to admire them very |
much, even finding some good qualities in the yellow hen. But he became |
nervous again when the next visitor was announced. |
"This," said Princess Ozma, "is my friend Mr. H. M. Woggle-Bug, T. E., |
who assisted me one time when I was in great distress, and is now the |
Dean of the Royal College of Athletic Science." |
"Ah," said the Wizard; "I'm pleased to meet so distinguished a |
personage." |
"H. M.," said the Woggle-Bug, pompously, "means Highly Magnified; and T. |
E. means Thoroughly Educated. I am, in reality, a very big bug, and |
doubtless the most intelligent being in all this broad domain." |
"How well you disguise it," said the Wizard. "But I don't doubt your |
word in the least." |
"Nobody doubts it, sir," replied the Woggle-Bug, and drawing a book from |
its pocket the strange insect turned its back on the company and sat |
down in a corner to read. |
Nobody minded this rudeness, which might have seemed more impolite in |
one less thoroughly educated; so they straightway forgot him and joined |
in a merry conversation that kept them well amused until bed-time |
arrived. |
[Illustration] |
CHAPTER 16. |
JIM, THE CAB-HORSE |
Jim the Cab-horse found himself in possession of a large room with a |
green marble floor and carved marble wainscoting, which was so stately |
in its appearance that it would have awed anyone else. Jim accepted it |
as a mere detail, and at his command the attendants gave his coat a good |
rubbing, combed his mane and tail, and washed his hoofs and fetlocks. |
Then they told him dinner would be served directly and he replied that |
they could not serve it too quickly to suit his convenience. First they |
brought him a steaming bowl of soup, which the horse eyed in dismay. |
"Take that stuff away!" he commanded. "Do you take me for a |
salamander?" |
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