rubbed her eyes. One of the bedposts was addressing her, and
the big four-poster itself was dancing a regular jig.

"Oh, stop!" cried Dorothy, holding on to the post to keep from
bouncing out.

"Can't you see I'm awake?"

"Well, I go off duty now, and you'll have to hurry," said the bed
sulkily. "I'm due at the lecture at nine."

"Lecture?" gasped Dorothy.

"What's so queer about that?" demanded the bed coldly. "I've got to
keep well posted, haven't I? I belong to a polished set, I do. Hurry
up, little girl, or I'll throw you out."

"I'm glad my bed doesn't talk to me in this impertinent fashion,"
thought Dorothy, slipping into her dress and combing her hair with
her side comb. "Imagine being ordered about by a bed! I wonder if Sir
Hokus is up." Parting the curtains, she jumped down, and the bed,
without even saying goodbye, took itself off.

Sir Hokus was sitting on a stile, polishing his armor with a
pillowslip he had taken from his bed, and the Cowardly Lion was lying
beside him lazily thumping his tail and making fun of the passing
furniture.

"Have you had breakfast?" asked Dorothy, joining her friends.

"We were waiting for your Ladyship," chuckled the Cowardly Lion.
"Would you mind ordering two for me, Hokus? I find one quite
insufficient."

Sir Hokus threw away the pillowslip, and talking cheerfully they
walked toward King Fix Sit's circle. The beds had been replaced by
breakfast tables, and the whole street was eating busily.

"Good morning, King," said Sir Hokus. "Four breakfasts, please."

The king rang a bell four times without looking up from his oatmeal.
Seeing that he did not wish to be disturbed, the three waited quietly
for their tables.

"In some ways," said Dorothy, contentedly munching a hot roll, "in
some ways this is a very comfortable place."

"In sooth 'tis that," mumbled Sir Hokus, his mouth full of baked
apple. As for the Cowardly Lion, he finished his two breakfasts in no
time. "And now," said Sir Hokus as the tables walked off, "let us
continue our quest. Could'st tell us the way to the Emerald City, my
good King Fix?"

"If you go, go away. And if you stay, stay away. That's my motto,"
answered King Fix shortly. "I can't have people running around here
like common furniture," he added in a grieved voice. All the Fix Its
nodded vigorously.

"Let them take their stand or their departure," said Sticken Plaster
firmly.

The King felt in his pocket and brought out three pie