t the big words with some
difficulty; and this is what she read:

SMITH & TINKER'S

Patent Double-Action, Extra-Responsive,
Thought-Creating, Perfect-Talking

MECHANICAL MAN

Fitted with our Special Clock-Work Attachment.
Thinks, Speaks, Acts, and Does Everything but Live.

Manufactured only at our Works at Evna, Land of Ev.
All infringements will be promptly Prosecuted according to Law.

"How queer!" said the yellow hen. "Do you think that is all true, my
dear?"

"I don't know," answered Dorothy, who had more to read. "Listen to this,
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 in the
middle of his back, (marked No. 3.)

N. B.--This Mechanism is guaranteed to work perfectly for a thousand
years.

"Well, I declare!" gasped the yellow hen, in amazement; "if the copper
man can do half of these things he is a very wonderful machine. But I
suppose it is all humbug, like so many other patented articles."

"We might wind him up," suggested Dorothy, "and see what he'll do."

"Where is the key to the clock-work?" asked Billina.

"Hanging on the peg where I found the card."

"Then," said the hen, "let us try him, and find out if he will go. He is
warranted for a thousand years, it seems; but we do not know how long he
has been standing inside this rock."

Dorothy had already taken the clock key from the peg.

[Illustration: DOROTHY WOUND UP NUMBER ONE]

"Which shall I wind up first?" she asked, looking again at the
directions on the card.

"Number One, I should 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, of course not; he is only thinking, now," said Dorothy.

"I wonder what he is thinking about."

"I'll wind up his talk, and then perhaps he can tell us," said the girl.

So she wound up Number Two, and immediately the clock-work man said,
without moving any part of his body except his lips:

"Good morn-ing, lit-tle girl. Good morn-ing, Mrs. Hen."

The words sounded a little hoarse and creakey, and they were uttered all
in the same tone, without any change of expression whatever; but both