Oz 20: The Hungry Tiger of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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ground is pretty soft . why, it's down," he puffed, blowing a ball of fuzz from_the end of_his nose .

Betsy, pulling up a handful of what she supposed to_be grass, found her fingers full of feathers, for they had landed in_the very center of a field of down ." well, this probably saved us from breaking our heads, but how did it all happen ? " repeated the barber, looking over at Carter in perfect bewilderment .

" it_was your fault," answered the vegetable man gravely ." you_must_have touched some secret spring when_you pounded on_the wall .I don't know whether to_thank_you or not," sighed Carter rubbing his thin ankles doubt- fully .

" I_hope you didn't bark your shins on_the tunnel," murmured the barber solicitously .

" no," answered Carter frankly, "I didn't bark my shins for they_are bark already, but you've ruined my business ." he looked ruefully at his scattered vegetables . they had_not stood the trip at all well and were lying about in squashed heaps .

" never mind, buddy ! " the barber clapped Carter comfortably on_the back ." maybe you_can pick up some more down here . but where is here, I wonder ? "

" well, any place is better than rash," exclaimed Betsy, looking about curiously ." the last time I fell through a tunnel I went clear to_the other side of_the world . do_you s' pose this_is_the other side of_the world ? look, there's the moon ! "

" it's square ! " whispered the sad singer in a frightened voice ." and it's green ! " he added dismally .

" the moon, the moon, the moon is_there, but never trust a moon that's square ! it's shining squarely on_our heads; we'll all be slaughtered in_our beds ! "

" you don't know what you're singing about," declared the barber gruffly ."A square moon is better than no moon and there aren't any beds that I_can_see, but there's a town over yonder . look ! " not far away, shadowy and mysterious in_the green light of_the square moon, rose the towers and spires of a strange city .

" well, i_wish the hungry tiger were here," cried Betsy bobbin ." and_the little prince .I wonder if_the cave wall closed up after it slid us down here ? "

Whiz ! Whirr ! bang ! as_if in answer to Betsy's question, the two came sailing out_of_the tunnel, circled through_the air and landed close beside Betsy . and while the hungry tiger was still puffing and panting with indignation and surprise, the little girl flung her arms about his neck and told him the whole story of_their flight through_the mysterious passageway . slowly the big beast got his breath back and as he blew the downy feathers from_his nose, the rash barber, with great ceremony, introduced the little prince to Betsy bobbin . in_the green moonlight she saw a pleasant, freckle- faced little boy of about her own age . his nose turned up, his collar turned down, and in_spite of_his ragged clothes he had a most kingly bearing .Betsy knew at once that they_would_be friends . prince Evered, himself, liked the little girl immediately and after they had compared notes on their terrible fall, he begged her to_tell him more about_the vegetable man .

" is he really real ? " asked the little prince, scarcely taking his eyes from Carter's curious figure .Betsy nodded and told him all about her meeting with_the vegetable man, her trip across the deadly desert and of_their arrival in rash . she was going on to_tell him little about Ozma and_the emerald city, but the sad singer had started such a sleepy song of welcome to honor the little prince that she_could_not keep her eyes open .Evered, too, soon began to nod and as_the hungry tiger had wisely determined not to investigate the strange city till morning, they all curled up in_the fields of down and were soon fast asleep . all but Carter green . since turning to a vegetable he_did_not require rest and all night long he paced up and down the white feathery field, thinking his own queer thoughts and keeping aloving watch over his new and interesting friends .

chapter 8

in down town

when Betsy awakened next morning, she saw the hungry tiger and Carter staring curiously at a huge sign in_the corner of_the field .

" down ! " ordered the sign sternly, " no uppers allowed ! "

" that means us, I suppose," said Carte ? , scratching his corn ear reflectively ."I wonder what kind of people live down here ? "

"Geese ! " spluttered the hungry tiger, looking cross- eyed at a fluff of feathers that had lighted on_the end of_his nose ." wish I_could catch a couple, I'm so hungry ! "

" so am I," agreed Betsy, " and I don't see a thing to eat, do_you ? "

" nothing but sun-beams," mused Carter, " and_they'd make a pretty little breakfast, but we ought_to_be glad there's a sun so_far underground ."

" why, shouldn't there be ? " snapped the hungry tiger . being hungry made him a bit irritable ."Doesn't the sun go down every day ? " Betsy and Carter exchanged startled glances, for neither of_them had thought of_this; and_the little girl, gazing dreamily across the soft fields, began to wonder what exciting adventures and strange experiences lay ahead of_them . but the hungry tiger was more interested in food ." maybe there'll be something to eat in_the city," he wheezed in a weak voice ." let's waken the others ." prince Evered and_the sad singer were already up and after a few shakes and thumps on_the back, the rash barber lifted his head .

" what's up ? " he inquired sleepily .

" nothing," giggled Betsy ."Don't you remember we all fell down ? "

"Don't remember a thing since I hit the feathers," yawned the barber, plucking a tuft of down from_his beard .

" well, this_is down," laughed Betsy, pointing to_the sign .

" and time to_get up," added the hungry tiger gruffly ." we're going off to_that city over there to_see if_we_can find some breakfast .

jump on my back Betsy, and you, too ." the hungry tiger nodded at_the ragged little prince ." what do they call you ? "

" the scarlet prince, the son of Asha, prince Evered of rash, the pasha ! "

Droned the sad singer with a deep salaam toward the youthful huler .

" all that ? " gasped the flungry tiger, putting back his ears .

"Oh, call me 'Reddy'," exclaimed the little boy, hopping up behind Betsy ."I haven't been prince for a year, you_know, and_that's what Fizzenpop called me even when i_was ."

" well, i_wish Fizzenpop were here now, sighed the hungry tiger regretfully, " too bad the trap door closed before he_found it ." the tiger had a great admiration for_the grand vizier of rash and determined to_do all in_his power to restore Reddy to_his throne .

" tell us more about_the magic rubies," begged Betsy, as_the tiger started briskly across the fields of down .

" yes, do," urged the vegetable man, " we dropped out right in_the middle of_the story and most of it_was knocked out of_my head ." Carter was trudging along beside the hungry tiger, but the barber and_the singer, thinking it presumptuous to walk so close to_the prince, had dropped respectfully behind . so while the strange little procession moved toward the unknown city, prince Evered told again how Irashi had stolen the precious rubies and made himself pasha of rash .

" well, I don't see how you'll ever find them," murmured Betsy, when he had finished the story and told a little of_his life with_the cobbler's children .

" nothing's impossible," Carter reminded her gaily ." look at me ! " Betsy and_the little prince both had to grin, for_the vegetable man did look impossible, and yet, there he_was .

" but how would you_know the rubies if you_did find them ? " asked Betsy, after a little pause .

" there_is an 'R' cut in each_one," explained Reddy gravely, " and_they are square .

"R ! " shouted Carter, snatching out a stalk of_his celery ."R ? Parsnips and peonies ! Radishes and rhubarb ! " Seizing the leather pouch from about his neck, the vegetable man dumped its whole contents into Betsy's lap ." stop ! " begged Carter grasping the hungry tiger by_the tail ." stop, i_think I've discovered something ."

" to eat ? " questioned the hungry tiger, looking round eagerly . without answering, Carter picked up the ruby he had already showed to Betsy bobbin .

" square ! " puffed Carter triumphantly, " and it has an R cut on_the side ! "

" why, it's one_of_the rash Rubies," screamed the prince, nearly tumbling off the tiger ." where did you find that ? " Passing the beautiful gem from one to_the other, Carter explained how he had found it in a potato he had bought from a gypsy .

" but which ruby is_it ? " panted the barber, pressing forward ." it might_be the one Irashi flung from_the castle window, or it might_be the one he buried in_the garden . let me give your highness a tiny cut with my razor," he suggested brightly ." then, if_it does_not hurt, we_will know that_it_is the ruby that protects you from danger on_the earth or under the earth ."

Evered looked a little doubtful, and_the hungry tiger shook his head impatiently ." too risky," growled the tiger .

" let his highness climb yonder tree," proposed the singer, waving toward a feather fan tree that stood not far away ." then let him fall out . if he breaks no bones we_will know it_is_the ruby that protects him from danger in_the air .

"Don't you_do it ! " cried Betsy indignantly ." it might_be the ruby that protects you from danger in_the water . then where'd you be ? "

" let Reddy keep his ruby till danger threatens," advised the hungry tiger sternly ."I'm not going to_have him sliced and broken if I_can help it ." and he flashed his yellow eyes so threateningly that_the barber and singer fell back in confusion .

" but wasn't it lucky we met Carter ! " ex- claimed Betsy, as_the vegetable man slipped the ruby into Evered's pocket ." and if_the king of down lives in_this city, and can just show us the way up, maybe we_can find the other rubies and-"

" something to eat," roared the hungry tiger, breaking into a quick step .

" when I'm the pasha, you_shall_have anything you wish," promised the little prince, smiling sideways at Carter green ." you_can_be keeper of Kites and Marbles if_you_want, Betsy shall be queen, and_the hungry tiger all the rest of_the nobility ."

" thanks," muttered the hungry tiger, grinning behind his whiskers . he_knew that if he ever reached Oz in safety, nothing could tempt him away from_the emerald city again, not even his terrible appetite .

" but what do_the three R's stand for ? " asked Carter . he had_been turning the matter over in_his mind for some_time .

"Readin', ritin', and rithmetic," guessed Betsy bobbin .

" rightful ruler of rash," corrected Reddy, with a cheerful bounce . now that one_of_the magic rubies was in_his possession anything seemed possible ." hurry up ! " he_called over his shoulder to_the rash barber and singer ." we're almost there ." and_they almost were, for beyond a thin fringe of feather brush rose the high buildings and towers of_the city they had seen in_the moonlight . the trip across the fields of down had_been rather tiresome . the feet of_the travellers sank at each step into_the soft feathers, so_that even the hungry tiger was panting a little when_they reached the city itself . over the gates, creaking backward and forward in_the brisk morning breeze, was a large silver sign .

" down town," read Betsy, squinting a little in_the bright sunshine ." why, it looks just like down town at home, Carter ."

" home in Oz ? " quened the vegetable man, pressing his nose against the bars .

" no, in Oklahoma ! " laughed Betsy hastily ." but let's go in . I_see stores and hotels and everything ! "

"Hotels ? " gulped the hungry tiger, pricking up his ears ."Hotels ! B-r-r-r ! " and before Betsy or anyone else could stop him, he had hurled himself headlong at_the gates of down town . with a creak and bang, they burst open and_the whole rash company fell through .

" food ! " roared the hungry tiger, charging at full speed down the main street ." give_us food ! " at_the tiger's roars, such citizens as were in_the streets stopped in horror and astonishment . then, right and left like startled hares, they darted, huddling into doorways, scurrying into side alleys, tumbling over one another in their frenzy to_get away . in_fact they were as amazed and terrified to_see a tiger in their down town, as we_would_be to_see one in ours, and when_they glimpsed Carter green, they ran faster than ever .

" stop ! " shouted Betsy, flinging both arms around the tiger's neck to_keep from falling off ." you're scaring everyone away . stop ! here's a restaurant ! "

but the hungry tiger had already seen the tempting display of pies and roast turkey in_the window .Turning so sharply that_the prince of rash tumbled off backward, he rushed through_the swinging doors and next minute they had the establishment to themselves . one look at_the hungry tiger had_been enough for_the early morning customers .Grabbing their hats, and without waiting for their change, they pelted out the rear door of_the shop, followed by three waiters and_the screaming proprietor .

"Oh, well," sighed Betsy, helping herself capably to a spring chicken that was turning slowly on a spit, " if_they won't stay to wait on us, we_must just help ourselves ."

" what fun ! " chuckled Reddy, burying his nose in a cherry tart, while the barber and sad singer divided a huge sausage between_them . the vegetable man, not requiring food, busied himself with counting the oranges and apples in_the window and wondered wistfully whether he_could_not find a cart somewhere and stir up some trade .

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