e right."

"How can the left wing be at the right?" demanded Dorothy, who feared
the Wheeler was fooling them.

"Because there used to be three wings, and two were torn down, so the
one on the right is the only one left. It is a trick of the Princess
Langwidere to prevent visitors from annoying her."

Then the captive led them around to the wing, after which the machine
man, having no further use for the Wheeler, permitted him to depart and
rejoin his fellows. He immediately rolled away at a great pace and was
soon lost to sight.

Tiktok now counted the doors in the wing and knocked loudly upon the
third one.

It was opened by a little maid in a cap trimmed with gay ribbons, who
bowed respectfully and asked:

"What do you wish, good people?"

"Are you the Princess Langwidere?" asked Dorothy.

"No, miss; I am her servant," replied the maid.

"May I see the Princess, please?"

"I will tell her you are here, miss, and ask her to grant you an
audience," said the maid. "Step in, please, and take a seat in the
drawing-room."

[Illustration]

So Dorothy walked in, followed closely by the machine. But as the yellow
hen tried to enter after them, the little maid cried "Shoo!" and flapped
her apron in Billina's face.

"Shoo, yourself!" retorted the hen, drawing back in anger and ruffling
up her feathers. "Haven't you any better manners than that?"

"Oh, do you talk?" enquired the maid, evidently surprised.

"Can't you hear me?" snapped Billina. "Drop that apron, and get out of
the doorway, so that I may enter with my friends!"

"The Princess won't like it," said the maid, hesitating.

"I don't care whether she likes it or not," replied Billina, and
fluttering her wings with a loud noise she flew straight at the maid's
face. The little servant at once ducked her head, and the hen reached
Dorothy's side, in safety.

"Very well," sighed the maid; "if you are all ruined because of this
obstinate hen, don't blame me for it. It isn't safe to annoy the
Princess Langwidere."

"Tell her we are waiting, if you please," Dorothy requested, with
dignity. "Billina is my friend, and must go wherever I go."

Without more words the maid led them to a richly furnished drawing-room,
lighted with subdued rainbow tints that came in through beautiful
stained-glass windows.

"Remain here," she said. "What names shall I give the Princess?"

"I am Dorothy Gale, of Kansas," replied the child; "and this gentleman
is a machine