Page:The Royal Book of Oz.djvu/83

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Chapter Five


"Arrest!" shouted all the other Pokes so loud that the Cowardly Lion roused himself with a start, and the pet snails stuck out their heads. "A rest? A rest is not what we want! We want a breakfast!" growled the lion irritably and started to roar, but a yawn spoiled it. (One simply cannot look fierce while yawning.)

"You—" began the Poke. But Dorothy could not stand hearing the same slow speech again. Putting her fingers in her ears she shouted back:

"What for?"

The Pokes regarded her sternly. Some even opened both eyes. Then the one who had first addressed them, covering a terrific gape with one hand, pointed with the other to a sign on a large post at the corner of the street.

"Speed limit ¼ mile an hour."

said the sign.

"We're arrested for speeding!" shouted Dorothy in the Cowardly Lion's ear.

"Did you say feeding?" asked the poor lion, waking up with a start. "If I go to sleep again before I'm fed I'll starve to death!"

"Then keep awake," yawned Dorothy. By this time the Pokes had surrounded them and were wav-

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