"North Road to D," said the sign briefly. "Wonder what D stands for?" "Because it can't sit down." The sign snapped out the sentence so suddenly that Notta tripped and fell over a stone, and Bob simply gasped with astonishment. "They didn't paint any line for it to sit on," explained the sign post patiently. "Where does this lane go to?" gulped the clown, edging over and taking Bob's hand. "It doesn't go any place. It stays where it is." "See here," puffed the clown in exasperation, "I never heard of a talking sign post, but so long as you _can_ talk, you might give us a few directions." "I only give one direction and that's north. You can take it, or leave it." Notta tried the post with a few more questions, but it just sniffed sulkily, and seeing no more was to be got out of it, the two hurried on. "Maybe D stands for Dorothy," said Bob, after a little silence. "Maybe," mused the clown, looking uneasily over his shoulder, "but this is a strange country, and we'll have to take it as we find it. Hello, what's this?" A sudden turn brought them up short, for the lane was closed off by a gray wall, so high one could not possibly climb over and so wide that it would take days to walk 'round. And in the wall were seven heavy oak doors. "This is the Kingdom of Doorways," announced a large sign, posted half way up the walls. "Be sure to use the right door." "But which is the right door?" gasped the clown, half expecting the sign to answer him. "There are seven," exclaimed Bob, who had been counting them up on his fingers. "And only one of them right," choked the clown anxiously. The two stood perfectly still, gazing in fascination at the seven doors. "Which is the right door?" repeated Notta, scratching his ear doubtfully. Chapter 6 The Seven Doors As Bob and Notta came closer, they noticed that each door had a brass plate nailed on the center panel, engraved with various names and instructions. "Keep out!" directed one shortly. "Well, that surely cannot be the right one," exclaimed the clown, moving hastily to the next. "Don't waken the baby," advised the second door. So Notta and Bob tiptoed carefully past. "This way to the Dorms. No admittance till February," said the third door. "And it's only May now. We cannot possibly wait that long." Notta took off his hat and made the door a polite bow. "Besides," he explained to Bob, who was slowly spelling out the words on the fourth door, "Dorms stands for dormitories and dormitories stand for sleep. Who wants to sleep?" "King Theodore the Third," said the fourth door. "Whew!" whistled Notta. "Another King! Come away, Bob Up, I don't trust these king chaps at all." "The Queen," announced the plate on the fifth door proudly, "Adora the First. No one without a title need apply." "Well, we may not be earls, but we're early," chuckled Notta, winking at Bob. They hurried curiously to the sixth door. "Push!" said the plate.