thy," said Billina. The girl obeyed and found a
picture of herself in each locket. "They were named after you, my
dear," continued the Yellow Hen, "so I wanted all my chickens to wear
your picture. Cluck--cluck! come here, Dorothy--this minute!" she
cried, for the chickens were scattered and wandering all around the big
room.

They obeyed the call at once, and came running as fast as they could,
fluttering their fluffy wings in a laughable way.

It was lucky that Billina gathered the little ones under her soft
breast just then, for Tik-tok came in and tramped up to the throne on
his flat copper feet.

"I am all wound up and work-ing fine-ly," said the clock-work man to
Dorothy.

"I can hear him tick," declared Button-Bright.

"You are quite the polished gentleman," said the Tin Woodman. "Stand
up here beside the shaggy man, Tik-tok, and help receive the company."

Dorothy placed soft cushions in a corner for Billina and her chicks,
and had just returned to the Throne and seated herself when the playing
of the royal band outside the palace announced the approach of
distinguished guests.

And my, how they did stare when the High Chamberlain threw open the
doors and the visitors entered the Throne-Room!

First walked a gingerbread man neatly formed and baked to a lovely
brown tint. He wore a silk hat and carried a candy cane prettily
striped with red and yellow. His shirt-front and cuffs were white
frosting, and the buttons on his coat were licorice drops.

Behind the gingerbread man came a child with flaxen hair and merry blue
eyes, dressed in white pajamas, with sandals on the soles of its pretty
bare feet. The child looked around smiling and thrust its hands into
the pockets of the pajamas. Close after it came a big rubber bear,
walking erect on its hind feet. The bear had twinkling black eyes, and
its body looked as if it had been pumped full of air.

Following these curious visitors were two tall, thin men and two short,
fat men, all four dressed in gorgeous uniforms.

Ozma's High Chamberlain now hurried forward to announce the names of
the new arrivals, calling out in a loud voice:

"His Gracious and Most Edible Majesty, King Dough the First, Ruler of
the Two Kingdoms of Hiland and Loland. Also the Head Boolywag of his
Majesty, known as Chick the Cherub, and their faithful friend Para
Bruin, the rubber bear."

These great personages bowed low as their names were called, and
Dorothy hastened