Oz 20: The Hungry Tiger of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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but it was_the hungry tiger who enjoyed himself most of all . at one side of_the room a dozen roasts were waiting their turn at_the ovens . these, the famished tiger snapped up in so_many bites . after his long fast in rash, they tasted perfectly delicious and, while Reddy looked at him in astonishment and admiration, he swallowed three roast turkeys, a bowl of potato salad and a tray full of biscuits . he_was just starting on a huge ham, when a commotion in_the doorway made them all spin round . it was_the proprietor, and with_him were twenty tall officers .

they had a great net, and as_the hungry tiger gave a convulsive swallow, they flung it over him and dragged the huge beast, the singer, the barber, Betsy, the vegetable man, and_the little prince of rash out into_the street .

"Robbers ! " screamed the proprietor savagely, as_they were hustled away ." wait till Dad hears of_this ."

" why don't you bite them ? " wailed Betsy, trying to wriggle out_of_the grasp of_the officer who had her by_the arm .

" too full," mumbled the hungry tiger in a stuffy voice ."Couldn't eat another bite, not even a policeman . but it_was worth it and who's afraid of Dad ? we've been arrested before and gotten away . we'll get off somehow, trust me .

" maybe the ruby will help," said the little prince, squirming about so he could_see Betsy . Carter, on_the other side, gave her such an encouraging wink that_the little girl stopped worrying and began to look around with real interest . down town, as Betsy had said in_the first place, was quite like other down towns, except that there were no motors nor wagons and_the men who crowded the streets were gaily costumed in green and yellow bills .Four of_the down Officers had hold of_the net entangling the hungry tiger, one officer had hold of each of_the others and_the rest tramped importantly ahead of_the procession .

" who's Dad ? " asked Betsy, as_they were propelled through_the swinging doors of a large white bank .

" the king," answered the officer haughtily .

" is he a kind king ? " sniffed the sad singer nervously ." what kind of a king is Dad . will he make us happy or make us sad ? "

" you'll soon see," grunted the officer, pushing him roughly into an elevator . the others were thrust as unceremoniously after him, the car shot upward and_the next minute they were all marched out upon_the roof . in a swivel chair on top of_the bank, sat Dad . he_was reading a paper and beside him on a high stool sat the most curious lady Betsy had ever seen .

" their Majesties the king and queen of down town ! " boomed the officer, who had hold of Betsy bobbin ."Robbers, your highness ! " he announced with a low bow .

chapter 9

the Indus tree

at_the officer's ringing words, king Dad lowered his paper, and as he got a good look at_the hungry tiger, his chair fell forward with a crash .

"A tiger, Nance ! " stuttered Dad, rolling his eyes wildly at_the queen .

" but it's tied," answered the queen of down town calmly ." what_are the charges officer ? "

"Ninety-nine dollars and sixty-eight cents," answered the officer hoarsely, and leaning over he handed Dad a long slip of paper .

" but we only wanted a little breakfast," began Betsy tremulously, " and

"A little breakfast ! " wheezed Dad, and putting on_his specs started to read off the list:

"Twelve roasts, Four turkeys, one spring chicken, three dozen tarts, Fourteen doughnuts one ham and twenty-four biscuits, three quarts of potato salad, one six- pound sausage ."

" monstrous ! " muttered the queen, tapping her foot indignantly on_the floor ." they shall pay well for_this ."

" why, that's amere bite for a fellow like me," rumbled the hungry tiger, impatiently, " and I ate most of it ."

"Wh- who_are you ? " demanded Dad, holding on to_the arms of_his chair and blinking nervously at_the great beast .

" I_am the hungry tiger of Oz, and these are my friends . we_are on_our way to_the emerald city . this little girl is Betsy bobbin and allow me to_present the vegetable man and_the pasha of-"

" your tale drags," yawned her majesty, fanning herself with her handkerchief ." cut it short . time is money down here and_the thing for_you to_do is to_pay up and settle down ."

" how clearly you put things," murmured Dad, looking affectionately at his queen .Betsy had_been staring at her highness in perfect astonishment, for she was_made entirely of money . her face and hair were of purest gold, her hands and feet of silver and her dress was_made from hundreds of yellow bills that crinkled crisply when she moved . yet, with all her glitter and brilliance, she seemed to Betsy the hardest and most disagreeable being she had ever met .Dad himself looked kind and care- worn, resembling vaguely many_of_the daddies Betsy had known in_the United_States . if he had just decided things for himself and not depended so_much upon_the queen, Betsy would_have liked him better .

" well, are_you ready to_pay up ? " asked Dad, looking from one to_the other of_the travellers ."Ninety-nine dollars and sixty-eight cents, please ."

" but we haven't any money," explained Betsy breathlessly ." we started off in_such a hurry and-"

" you_should_not have come down town if_you had no money," muttered Dad reprovingly .

" how dare you be without money ? " cried the queen, springing up in a perfect fury ." how dare you come down town without money ? "

" now, don't get frenzied, Fi Nance," begged Dad, patting her anxiously on_the hand ." they_can easily make some money, you_know ." his words seemed to soothe the queen .

" that's so," she mused thoughtfully ." anybody can make money down town, if_they just try hard enough ." almost pleasantly she turned to Betsy ." you, my child," purred the queen, resuming her seat, " you, may start as a cash girl .I myself was a cash girl once," she went on dreamily, " and now look at me-Fi Nance, queen of down town .I'm simply made of money ! "

Betsy looked, and shuddered a little as she did so . she was about to_tell the queen that she had no desire to_be a cash girl, when Fi Nance haughtily held up her hand for silence ." the lad shall be an office boy," she decided imperiously ." who did you say he_was ? "

"A prince," growled the hungry tiger .

"A dry goods store will_be the best place for him," murmured Dad ." what can_you two do ? " he demanded, looking over his specs at_the barber and sad singer of rash .

" anything ! anything ! " whined the frightened prisoners, bumping their heads together in their anxiety to_please .

"Pooh ! " sniffed Dad scornfully ." that means nothing whatsoever ."

" Shampoo ? " suggested the barber hopefully ." let me give your highness a little shave and hair cut ."

" are_you a barber ? " asked Dad, looking at_the rasher with more interest ." if_you're a barber, you_can stay and welcome . there's always room for another barber, down town ."

" thank_you ! thank_you ! if your majesty will permit-" the barber bowed apologetically to_the prince of rash, " i_will remain here . I_have always wanted to_make money," he acknowledged frankly .

" me too ! " gulped the sad singer eagerly .

"I've sung until I'm hoarse, in rash, and never earned a cent in cash ! "

" he has a voice like a horse," whispered Dad, in a loud aside to_the queen .

" he sings like a jack-ass ! " agreed her majesty readily ." but let him stay . any kind of a noise goes, down town . now as_to_these others ? " she rolled her golden eyes in perplexity and disapproval at_the vegetable man and_the hungry tiger; then evidently giving them up, cried in a loud voice, " the audience is over and_the prisoners are discharged . let them make some money, pay up and settle down ."

" well, goodbye ! " smiled Dad, picking up his paper with a sigh of relief ." if_you don't like the positions we_have chosen for_you, go down to_the square and choose some others . take them to_the public square ! " he ordered, waving at_the officers .

so, much to Betsy's and_the little prince's amusement, they were all hurried into_the elevator, out_of_the bank and marched along the streets of_the city .a curious sign on_the first corner puzzled Betsy very_much .

" down town belongs to_the Daddies," said the sign severely, " no aunts, mothers or sisters allowed ."

" why, anybody can go down town at home," exclaimed the little girl in surprise .

"I noticed there were no ladies about,"

the Indus tree observed Carter in an amused voice ." the Daddies have it all their own way here ."

as_they passed along, Betsy looked curiously in_the windows of_the shops and offices and saw that everywhere the Dads were making money . some were making money out of leather, some were making money out of oil and some were even making money out of old papers and rags . it looked quite simple .

" but there_must_be some trick to_it," she whispered hurriedly to_the prince of rash ." I_hope we don't have to stay here long .I won't be a cash girl ."

prince Evered nodded emphatically, for he had no intention of becoming an office boy . just then they came to_the public square and were marched solemnly through_the gates .

" pick your tools and get started," ordered the first officer gruffly, and grumbling a little among themselves, because the prisoners had got off so easily, the twenty tall Downsmen tramped noisily back to_their station . as_soon_as they had gone, the barber, with_his razor, released the hungry tiger from_the net .

"I wonder what they meant about tools," murmured Betsy, staring all around her ." why what an enormous tree ! " it stood in_the center of_the square, spreading out in every direction, its branches weighed down with a most curious collection of objects . there_was a small notice tacked on_the trunk and Evered and Betsy bobbin hurried over to investigate .

"Indus tree," read the sign ." pick your trade, business or profession here ."

" well, I've often heard of_the big industries," gasped Carter green, squinting up through_the branches, " but I never knew they looked like this . if_we_are to stay down town, I suppose we had better pick our business at once .

" stay if_you_want to," rumbled the hungry tiger impatiently ." my business is to_see that Betsy bobbin gets safely back to Oz and to restore Reddy to_his throne .I, for_my part, am going to leave as_soon_as I_can find an exit ."

" maybe they won't let_us," faltered Betsy, looking uneasily over her shoulder . but the Daddies were_not paying the slightest attention to_the little group in_the square and, greatly relieved, they turned back to_the Indus tree .

" some_of_these things might prove useful, even if we_did_not remain here," muttered Carter .

" why, there's a razor ! " shouted the rash barber in delight, and springing into_the air, he snapped it off the lower branch and began to finger it lovingly .

"I'd take that harp, if I_could just reach it," sighed the sad singer, looking wistfully aloft .

"I'll pick it for_you," offered prince Evered obligingly, and swinging up into_the tree he broke the harp from its stem and dropped it into_the singer's arms .

" see anything you_want, Betsy ? " called the little prince, and pushing aside a cluster of paint brushes, he peered down at her expectantly . but with so_many things to_choose from, it_was hard to decide . there were thimbles and shears, bottles of ink, hammers, saws, buckets and mops, brooms and hoes, music rolls, miners' caps, rolling pins, cook books, compasses and ship models- everything in_fact that a body would need to work with .

while Reddy was waiting for Betsy to_make up her mind, his curiosity carried him higher and higher into_the branches . Carter, too, walked round and round the base of_the tree, shaking his head and exclaiming from_time to_time with surprise and astonishment . but the hungry tiger had small use for a tree that produced nothing to eat, nor was he interested in money or making money . so, while the others examined the marvelous tree, he began looking for a way out, and presently was rewarded, for in_the far corner of_the square were steps leading down into what seemed to_be a tunnel .Stretching his neck cautiously about_the doorway, the hungry tiger spied some directions .

" take_the subway here for up town," said a sign .

" here ! here ! I've found a way out ! " roared the hungry tiger joyfully .

" what kind of a way ? " cried Carter, stum-bling over the wheel- barrow he had just plucked from_the Indus tree .

"A subway ! " puffed the tiger ." tell the rest of 'em, quick ! "

" come on ! come on ! " cried Carter waving to_the others ." the hungry tiger has found some way out ."

" I_said, ' subway ! ' " growled the tiger a bit temperishly ." are_you going to_take that thing along with_you ? " the vegetable man looked lovingly at_the wheel- barrow .

" it was_the nearest thing to a cart I_could find," he murmured sadly, " and will come in very handy if I pick up some vegetables or fruit . so will this ." he patted a small spade that had grown on_the same branch with_the wheel- barrow ."Hello, here they_come now ! " at Carter's cries, the little prince of rash, who had_been trying to decide between a policeman's club and a sword, plucked the sword and came crashing to earth, followed by several bottles of ink and an ironing board .

" I_may_have to fight for_my kingdom," he_told Betsy importantly, " and this sword will help ." Betsy nodded understandingly, and without waiting to pick anything for herself she ran over to_the hungry tiger . they were all anxious to

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