Озма из страны Оз
3. Letters in the Sand
Insideshefound,nicelywrappedinwhitepapers,ahamsandwich,apieceofsponge-cake,apickle,asliceofnewcheeseandanapple.Eachthinghadaseparatestem,andsohadtobepickedoffthesideofthebox;butDorothyfoundthemalltobedelicious,andsheateeverybitofluncheonintheboxbeforeshehadfinished.
"Alunchisn’tzactlybreakfast,"shesaidtoBillina,whosatbesidehercuriouslywatching."Butwhenoneishungryonecaneatevensupperinthemorning,andnotcomplain."
"Ihopeyourlunch-boxwasperfectlyripe,"observedtheyellowhen,inaanxioustone."Somuchsicknessiscausedbyeatinggreenthings."
"Oh,I’msureitwasripe,"declaredDorothy,"all,thatis,’ceptthepickle,andapicklejustHAStobegreen,Billina.Buteverythingtastedperfectlysplendid,andI’dratherhaveitthanachurchpicnic.AndnowIthinkI’llpickadinner-pail,tohavewhenIgethungryagain,andthenwe’llstartoutand’splorethecountry,andseewhereweare."
"Haven’tyouanyideawhatcountrythisis?"inquiredBillina.
"Noneatall.Butlisten:I’mquitesureit’safairycountry,orsuchthingsaslunch-boxesanddinner-pailswouldn’tbegrowingupontrees.Besides,Billina,beingahen,youwouldn’tbeabletotalkinanyciv’lizedcountry,likeKansas,wherenofairiesliveatall."
"Perhapswe’reintheLandofOz,"saidthehen,thoughtfully.
"No,thatcan’tbe,"answeredthelittlegirl;"becauseI’vebeentotheLandofOz,andit’sallsurroundedbyahorriddesertthatnoonecancross.
