14. Tik-Tok and Billina

           Theyhadnotwalkedfaracrosstheflower-strewnmeadowswhentheycameuponafineroadleadingtowardthenorthwestandwindinggracefullyamongtheprettyyellowhills.

           "Thatway,"saidDorothy,"mustbethedirectionoftheEmeraldCity.We’dbetterfollowtheroaduntilwemeetsomeoneorcometoahouse."

           ThesunsoondriedButton-Bright’ssailorsuitandtheshaggyman’sshaggyclothes,andsopleasedweretheyatregainingtheirownheadsthattheydidnotmindatallthebriefdiscomfortofgettingwet.

           "It’sgoodtobeabletowhistleagain,"remarkedtheshaggyman,"forthosedonkeylipsweresothickIcouldnotwhistleanotewiththem."Hewarbledatuneasmerrilyasanybird.

           "You’lllookmorenaturalatthebirthdaycelebration,too,"saidDorothy,happyinseeingherfriendssohappy.

           Polychromewasdancingaheadinherusualsprightlymanner,whirlinggailyalongthesmooth,levelroad,untilshepassedfromsightaroundthecurveofoneofthemounds.Suddenlytheyheardherexclaim"Oh!"andsheappearedagain,runningtowardthematfullspeed.

           "What’sthematter,Polly?"askedDorothy,perplexed.

           TherewasnoneedfortheRainbow’sDaughtertoanswer,forturningthebendintheroadtherecameadvancingslowlytowardthemafunnyroundmanmadeofburnishedcopper,gleamingbrightlyinthesun.Perchedonthecopperman’sshouldersatayellowhen,withfluffyfeathersandapearlnecklacearoundherthroat.

           "Oh,Tik-tok!"criedDorothy,runningforward.Whenshecametohim,thecoppermanliftedthelittlegirlinhiscopperarmsandkissedhercheekwithhiscopperlips.