The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-30
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ings and spread them upon the sun
warmed beach to dry.
Then she sat down and watched
Billina, who was pick-pecking away
with her sharp bill in the sand ana
gravel. which she scratched up anu
turned over with her strong claws.
What are you doing?' asked Doro-
thy.
murmured the hen, busily peckihs
what you you find?" inquired the
girl. curiously.
"Oh, some fat req ants, and some
sand bugs. and on1e in a lille tiny
crab. They are very sweet and NICE
1 assure you"
How dreadful" exclaimed Dee
othy, in a shocked voice.
what IL dreadful ?" asked the hea,
lifting her head to gaze with one
bright eye at her companion.
why. eating live things, and hor-
rid bugs, and Gravity ants You ought
to be slammed of yourself!"
| Goodness mel" returned the hen,
| in puzzled tone: "how queer you are,
Dorothy Live things are much fresh
err and more wholesome than dead
ones, and you humans eat all sorts OF
dead things, even chickens"
But we cook EN-" said Dorothy,
| triumphant1y.
What difference does that make7"
"a good DEAL" said the girl. in a
graver tone. II can't Just 'splain the
diff renee, but it's there. And, any
how, we never eat such dreadful
things as bugs"
But you eat the chickens that eat
the bugs retorted the yellow hen,
with an odd cackle. so you are just
as bad as we chickens are"
This made Dorothy thoughtful.
What Billina said was true enough.
and It almost took away her appetite
for breakfast. AS for the yellow hen,
she continued to peck away at the sand
busily. and seemed quite contented
with her bill-of-fare.
Finally, down near the waters edge,
Billina stuck her bill deep into the
sand, and then drew back and shiv-
cred.
"ow." she cried. ct struck metal.
that time, and It nearly broke my
beak."
at prob'bly was a rock" said
Dorothy, carelessly.
Nonsense. know a rock from
metal. 1 guess" said the hen. There's
a different feel to It."
y But there couldn't be any metal on
this wild, deserted seashore." persisted
the girl. Where's the placer I'll
, dig IT up, and prove to you I'm right
Billina showed her the place where
she had "stubbed her BILL" as she ex-
; prssed it, and Dorothy dug away the
sand until she felt something hard.
/ Then, thrusting in her hand, she
r pulled the thing out, and discovered
: | 1t to be a large sized golden key
J rather old but still bright and of per-
feet shape.
, what did I tell your" cried the
hen. with a cackle of triumph. can
! tell metal when / bump into IL. or
is the thing a rock?"
TITS metal. sure enough" answered
the child, gazing thoughtfully at the
, | found.
) IL is sure gold. and II must have lain
hidden in the sand for long time
How do you suppose IL came here. BIZ
lima? And what do you suppose this
/ mysterious key unlocks?" -rr, 7.f
: at can't say" replied the hen. you
ought to know more about locks and
keys than do"
; Dorothy glanced around. There
was no sign OF any house in that part
OF the country, and she reasoned that
every key must fit lock and every
lock must have a purpose. Perhaps
the key had been lost by somebody
. who lived far away. but had 5andered
on this very shore.
, Mus!ng on these things the girl put
, the key in the pocket of her dress and
then slowly drew on her shoes and
stockings, which the sun had fully
dried
II b1ieve, BiIlina," she said, I'll
have a look round. and see IL can't
= find some breakfast"
: (Copyriehted by L. Frank BAUM for the
George Mathew Adams Service)
! Our next story Letters in the Sand"
How would you Ike to be stranded on
what seemed to be a deserted island, with
no food and no one 70 talk 10 but a Yellow
Hem And then how would Il seem TO sud
denly discover two most wonderful trees--
the Lunch Box Tree and the Paper Napkin
r Tree7 This Lunch Box tree was filled
, with wonderful goodies, but Dorothy's
most wonderful luncheon was interrupted
by the appearance OF THE Wheelers."
What are they? Well read our next story
: and you'll hear about them.