"My goodness, but I'm thirsty," said Billy to himself. "I wish the gate keeper would hurry and let me in," and again and again he knocked, but seemingly with no result. Finally when his throat was parched and his tongue dry with thirst, he could stand it no longer. He put his shoulder to the gates--open they swung, and Billy fell inside on his face. "Why, it was just like pushing clouds away," he exclaimed. "But I'm in the sun here; I must cross to the other side." So across the street he ran. "Why this is strange, I was sure this was the shady side," he said in surprise. For when he got there the sun if anything was hotter than ever and the side he had left was cool, shady and inviting. Billy shut his eyes. "I'm afraid this is sun-stroke," he said, "anyway I'll try again," and back he ran as hard as he could go. But when he got across it was the same thing as before. "Come in and rest," called a voice from a house at his side; "you look hot and tired--come in and rest your face and hands." "Thank you, I will," said Billy, gratefully, not noticing that the voice was just a wee bit derisive. "This way," called the voice; "turn the knob and walk in--if you can." "Oh! I can," said Billy, walking toward the door of the house he thought he heard the voice coming from. "Not that way--I'm across the street," called the voice. "Oh!" said Billy, politely, starting across again, "I beg your pardon--I thought----" "Think again," said the voice; "are you coming in or not? I'm not over here, I'm over there." "Where?" "Back where you're coming from." "I thought you said--" began Billy. "It doesn't make any difference what I said, I didn't say it," answered the voice. Billy began to lose his temper. "Are you making fun of me--who are you anyway?" "I'm Nothing Divided By Two." "Why, that's nothing," said Billy. "Wrong," answered the voice. "Why?" "Don't ask so many questions--are you coming in or not?" "I think not," said Billy, "I can't spare the time." "I suppose you think you'll have to get right on to Bogie Man's House." "Yes." "But you're not--you'll never get away from Mirage Town." "Why not?" asked Billy, "Because there is no such place." "But I'm here." "That's the trouble--you are in a town that doesn't exist, so of course, you are not in any place. And, if you'll tell me how you can leave a place where you're not I'll----" "I'll show you," said Billy angrily, "I'll jump out," and he tried to jump. "No use," said the voice laughing, "there's nothing under your feet--and you can't jump from nothing." "Well, I'll get a drink of water from that brook and then you'll see," said Billy, "I'll go out by the gate I entered." "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the voice, "try and see." Nothing daunted, however, Billy ran toward the brook--"Can't catch me--can't catch me," called the brook, "running boys can't catch running brooks."