e at the further end of
the shop, running about and frantically striking at one thing after
another with her spoon. To make matters worse, quite a little army of
tin soldiers suddenly appeared, running confusedly about, with the
drawers from the little grocer's shop upside down on their heads, and
all calling "Fire!" at the top of their voices. As they couldn't see
where anybody was going, or where they were going themselves, it made
the situation very desperate indeed.

Dorothy was frightened almost out of her wits, but she ran on in a
bewildered sort of a way, dodging the rolling marbles and upsetting the
dolls and the soldiers in great numbers, until she fortunately caught
sight of the little rat-hole of a door, and, rushing through it, she
hurried down the bank, knocking the green rocking-chairs about in every
direction, and ran off into the wood as fast as she could go.

[Illustration: TAIL-PIECE TO CHAPTER VIII.]

CHAPTER IX

THE CAMEL'S COMPLAINT

Dorothy ran along until she thought she was quite safe, and then stopped
to look back and listen. There was a confused sound of shouts and cries
in the distance, but nothing seemed to be coming after her, so, after
waiting a moment to get her breath, she walked quietly away through the
wood.

"What a scene of turmoil it was!" she said to herself. (You see, she was
trying to express herself in a very dignified and composed manner, as if
she hadn't been in the least disturbed by what had happened.) "I
presume--" she went on, "I presume it was something like a riot,
although I really don't see what it was all about. Of course I've never
been in a riot, but if it's anything like _that_, I shall never have
anything to do with one";--which certainly was a very wise resolution
for a little girl to make; but as Dorothy was always making wise
resolutions about things that were never going to happen, I really
don't think that this particular one was a matter of any consequence.

She was so much pleased with these remarks that she was going on to say
a number of very fine things, when she came suddenly upon the Caravan
hiding behind a large tree. They were sitting in a little bunch on the
grass, and, as Dorothy appeared, they all put on an appearance of great
unconcern, and began staring up at the branches of the tree, as if they
hadn't seen her.

"They've certainly been doing something they're ashamed of," she said to
herself, "but they can't deceive me with any