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"There must be people!" cried Dorothy.
"
"
One dinner for each of us," rumbled the Cowardly Lion, licking his chops.
Come on!"
"Perchance they will invite us. If we follow the dinners, we'll come to the
diners," said Sir Hokus mildly.
"
Right--as usual." The Cowardly Lion looked embarrassed, for he had
intended pouncing on the tables without further ceremony.
"
Hush! Let's go quietly. If they hear us, they may run and upset the dishes,"
warned Dorothy. So the three walked softly after the dinner tables, their
curiosity about the people of Fix growing keener at every step. Several
chairs, a sofa and a clothes tree rushed past them, but as Dorothy said later
to Ozma, after talking bushes, nothing surprised them. The tables turned
the corner at the end of the avenue three abreast, and the sight that greeted
Dorothy and her comrades was strange indeed. Down each side of a long
street as far as they could see stood rows and rows of people. Each one was
in the exact center of a chalked circle, and they were so still that Dorothy
thought they must be statues.
But no sooner had the three tables made their appearance than bells began
ringing furiously all up and down the street, and dinner tables and chairs
came running from every direction. All the inhabitants of Fix City looked
alike. They had large, round heads, broad placid faces, double chins, and no
waists whatever. Their feet were flat and about three times as long as the
longest you have ever seen. The women wore plain Mother Hubbard dresses
and straw sailor hats, and the men gingham suits.
While the three friends were observing all this, the tables had been taking
their places. One stopped before each Fix, and the chairs, after much
bumping and quarreling, placed themselves properly. At a signal from the
Fix in the center, the whole company sat down without so much as moving
their feet. Dorothy, Sir Hokus and the Cowardly Lion had been too
interested to speak, but at this minute a whole flock of the mischievous
lanterns clustered over their heads, and at the sudden blare of light the
whole street stopped eating and stared.
"
Oh!" cried the Fix nearest them, pointing with his fork, "Look at the
runabouts!"
"
This way, please! This way, please! Don't bark your shins. Don't take any
more steps than you can help!" boomed an important voice from the middle
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