19. How Bunnybury Welcomed the Strangers

           DorothyleftBunburythesamewayshehadentereditandwhentheywereintheforestagainshesaidtoBillina:

           "Ineverthoughtthatthingsgoodtoeatcouldbesodis’gree’ble."

           "OftenI’veeatenthingsthattastedgoodbutweredisagreeableafterward,"returnedtheYellowHen."Ithink,Dorothy,ifeatablesaregoingtoactbadly,it’sbetterbeforethanafteryoueatthem."

           "P’rapsyou’reright,"saidthelittlegirl,withasigh."Butwhatshallwedonow?"

           "Letusfollowthepathbacktothesignpost,"suggestedBillina."Thatwillbebetterthangettinglostagain."

           "Why,we’relostanyhow,"declaredDorothy;"butIguessyou’rerightaboutgoingbacktothatsignpost,Billina."

           Theyreturnedalongthepathtotheplacewheretheyhadfirstfoundit,andatoncetook"theotherroad"toBunnybury.Thisroadwasamerenarrowstrip,wornhardandsmoothbutnotwideenoughforDorothy’sfeettotread.Still,itwasaguide,andthewalkingthroughtheforestwasnotatalldifficult.

           Beforelongtheyreachedahighwallofsolidwhitemarble,andthepathcametoanendatthiswall.

           AtfirstDorothythoughttherewasnoopeningatallinthemarble,butonlookingcloselyshediscoveredasmallsquaredooraboutonalevelwithherhead,andunderneaththiscloseddoorwasabell-push.Nearthebell-pushasignwaspaintedinneatlettersuponthemarble,andthesignread:

           NOADMITTANCE

           EXCEPTONBUSINESS

           ThisdidnotdiscourageDorothy,however,andsherangthebell.

           Prettysoonaboltwascautiouslywithdrawnandthemarbledoorswungslowlyopen.