Page:The Royal Book of Oz.djvu/75

 along for some time in silence. The trees were thinning out and as they came to the edge of the forest another sign confronted them.

"Slow down," read Dorothy with great difficulty. "What nonsense! If we slow down how shall we ever get anywhere?"

"Wait a minute," mused the Cowardly Lion, half closing his eyes. "Aren't there two roads just aheadone going up and one going down? We're to take the down road I suppose. 'Slow down,' isn't that what it says?"

Slow down it surely was, for the road was so steep and full of stones that Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion had to pick their way with utmost care. But even bad roads must end somewhere and, coming suddenly to the edge of the woods, they saw a great city lying just below. A dim light burned over the main gate and toward this the Cowardly Lion and Dorothy hurried as fast as they could. This was not very fast, for an unaccountable drowsiness was stealing over them.

Slowly and more slowly, the tired little girl and her great four-footed companion advanced toward the dimly lighted gate. They were so drowsy that they had ceased to talk. But they dragged on.