"The people here are either asleep, like the dolls, or run down, like the animals," said Dot, sinking her voice to a whisper.
"There are no people," replied the Queen.
"Then what is the Valley for?" asked the girl.
"Wait a moment and you will see," was the answer.
The boat now drew near the shore, but the banks of the river were so high and steep that they could see nothing above them, and Dot thought at first they would be unable to land.
Presently, however, they reached a small place where the bank sloped gently down to the water, and here the Queen stopped the boat and asked the children to step out.
"Now follow me," said Her Majesty, when they had all landed. So they walked up the sloping bank and found themselves upon a big, circular plain as flat as a platter, which was thickly covered with thousands and thousands of pins. There were no trees at all, but lying scattered upon the ground were heaps and stacks of the most curious things.
Nearest to Dot was a great pyramid of thimbles, of all sizes and made of many different materials. Further on were piles of buttons, of all shapes and colors imaginable, and there were also vast collections of hairpins, rings, and many sorts of jewelry.
Tot noticed at his side a mammoth heap of lead pencils, some short and stubby and worn, and others long and almost new.
"What does it all mean?" asked Dot, wonderingly, after she had gazed about her.