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5. Dorothy Opens the Dinner Pail
Withinthepailwerethreeslicesofturkey,twoslicesofcoldtongue,somelobstersalad,fourslicesofbreadandbutter,asmallcustardpie,anorangeandninelargestrawberries,andsomenutsandraisins.Singularlyenough,thenutsinthisdinner-pailgrewalreadycracked,sothatDorothyhadnotroubleinpickingouttheirmeatstoeat.
Shespreadthefeastupontherockbesideherandbeganherdinner,firstofferingsomeofittoTiktok,whodeclinedbecause,ashesaid,hewasmerelyamachine.AfterwardsheofferedtosharewithBillina,butthehenmurmuredsomethingabout"deadthings"andsaidshepreferredherbugsandants.
"Dothelunch-boxtreesandthedinner-pailtreesbelongtotheWheelers?"thechildaskedTiktok,whileengagedineatinghermeal.
"Ofcoursenot,"heanswered."Theybe-longtotheroy-alfam-il-yofEv,on-lyofcoursethereisnoroy-alfam-il-yjustnowbe-causeKingEv-ol-dojumpedin-totheseaandhiswifeandtenchil-drenhavebeentrans-formedbytheNomeKing.SothereisnoonetoruletheLandofEv,thatIcanthinkof.Per-hapsitisforthisrea-sonthattheWheel-ersclaimthetreesfortheirown,andpickthelunch-eonsanddin-nerstoeatthem-selves.Buttheybe-longtotheKing,andyouwillfindtheroy-al"E"stampedup-onthebot-tomofev-er-ydin-nerpail."
Dorothyturnedthepailover,andatoncediscoveredtheroyalmarkuponit,asTiktokhadsaid.
"AretheWheelerstheonlyfolkslivingintheLandofEv?"enquiredthegirl.
"No;theyon-lyin-hab-itasmallpor-tionofitjustbackofthewoods,"repliedthemachine.
