Page:The Royal Book of Oz.djvu/191

 Lion chuckled behind his whiskers and Sir Hokus in great confusion stepped back.

“What time is it?” demanded the King suddenly. He touched a bell and next minute a whole company of clocks came running down the street. The big ones pushed the little ones and a grandfather clock ran so fast that it tripped over a cobble stone and fell on its face, which cracked all the way across.

“You’ve got plenty of time; why don’t you take it?” called the King angrily, while two clothes-trees helped the clock to its feet.

“They’re all different,” giggled Dorothy, nudging the Cowardly Lion. Some pointed to eight o’clock, some to nine and others to half past ten.

“Why shouldn’t they be different?” asked Sticken haughtily. “Some run faster than others!”

“Pass the time, please,” said the King, looking hard at Dorothy.

“The lazy lump!” growled the Cowardly Lion. But Dorothy picked up the nearest little clock and handed it to King Fix Sit.

“I thought so,” yawned the King, pointing at the clock. At this everybody began ringing bells till Dorothy was obliged to cover her ears. In an instant the whole street was filled with beds, “rolling up