Dorothy now heard the yellow hen laughing, in her cackling, henny way.

"Don't hurry, my dear," cried Billina. "They can't follow us among
these rocks, so we're safe enough now."

Dorothy stopped at once and sat down upon a broad boulder, for she was
all out of breath.

The rest of the Wheelers had now reached the foot of the hill, but it
was evident that their wheels would not roll upon the rough and jagged
rocks, and therefore they were helpless to follow Dorothy and the hen
to where they had taken refuge. But they circled all around the
little hill, so the child and Billina were fast prisoners and could
not come down without being captured.

Then the creatures shook their front wheels at Dorothy in a
threatening manner, and it seemed they were able to speak as well as
to make their dreadful outcries, for several of them shouted:

"We'll get you in time, never fear! And when we do get you, we'll
tear you into little bits!"

"Why are you so cruel to me?" asked Dorothy. "I'm a stranger in your
country, and have done you no harm."

"No harm!" cried one who seemed to be their leader. "Did you not pick
our lunch-boxes and dinner-pails? Have you not a stolen dinner-pail
still in your hand?"

"I only picked one of each," she answered. "I was hungry, and I