Смарагдове місто країни Оз

           Muffin,littlegirl,andtheywillfeedyou."

           "Thankyouverymuch,"saidDorothy,gratefully."MayIbringmydogToto,andtheYellowHen?They’rehungry,too."

           "Willyoumakethembehave?"askedtheMuffin.

           "Ofcourse,"promisedDorothy.

           "Thencomealong,"saidPopOver.

           SoDorothyandBillinaandTotowalkedupthestreetandthepeopleseemednolongertobeatallafraidofthem.Mr.Muffin’shousecamefirst,andashiswheelbarrowstoodinthefrontyardthelittlegirlatethatfirst.Itdidn’tseemveryfresh,butshewassohungrythatshewasnotparticular.Totoatesome,too,whileBillinapickedupthecrumbs.

           Whilethestrangerswereengagedineating,manyofthepeoplecameandstoodinthestreetcuriouslywatchingthem.Dorothynoticedsixroguishlookingbrownchildrenstandingallinarow,andsheasked:

           "Whoareyou,littleones?"

           "We’retheGrahamGems,"repliedone;"andwe’realltwins."

           "Iwonderifyourmothercouldspareoneortwoofyou?"askedBillina,whodecidedthattheywerefreshbaked;butatthisdangerousquestionthesixlittlegemsranawayasfastastheycouldgo.

           "Youmusn’tsaysuchthings,Billina,"saidDorothy,reprovingly."Nowlet’sgointoPopOver’sbackyardandgetthewaffles."

           "Isortofhatetoletthatfencego,"remarkedMr.Over,nervously,astheywalkedtowardhishouse."TheneighborsbackofusareSodaBiscuits,andIdon’tcaretomixwiththem."

           "ButI’mhungryyet,"declaredthegirl."Thatwheelbarrowwasn’tverybig."

           "I’vegotashortcakepiano,butnoneofmyfamilycanplayonit,"hesaid,reflectively.