promptly at seven o'clock, the inhabitants of the royal palace began to gather in the grand dining room. cap'n bill and trot took their accustomed places at the table, as did betsy bobbin, button bright, the shaggy man, aunt em and uncle henry. while the scarecrow, the patchwork girl and tik-tok the machine man were non-flesh and could not partake of the food, nevertheless they had their places at the table. for these dinners were as much occasions for the enjoyment of merry conversation, as they were for satisfying hunger and thirst.