Lifting Betsy on top cabbages, the Vegetable Man grasped the handles cart and started on run across the sandy wasteland not unpleasant, rattling along queer little cart morning was so brisk and fine Betsy soon began to enjoy herself "Won't Dorothy and Ozma be surprised when I come rolling castle ," she chuckled merrily to herself, "and won't they stare when I introduce the Vegetable Man ! Why, he's almost as int'resting as Tik Tok and more fun I wonder if everybody who eats too many vegetables grows celery tops and corn ears ? Oh Mr Green ! Mr Green ! " But the cart wheels were going round squeak, grind and rattle that hear her and Betsy sensibly decided to save this important question for another time

She had just finished her second apple Vegetable Man stopped with jerk rude sign stuck up limb of crooked tree had caught his attention "Quick Sand," said the sign, "Go Slow ! "

"Oh spinach ! " exclaimed the Vegetable Man, wiping his face on stray salad leaf "Oh spinach ! "

" 'spose it's very quick sand ? " asked Betsy, leaning far over the side cart

"We'll soon find that out " Taking an apple, Carter flung it as far as But horrors ! No sooner had it touched the sand than it disappeared as suddenly as one drop of dew on frying pan

"It's good thing you stopped," shuddered Betsy, "or we'd swallowed up

"Down," corrected Carter gloomily "Looks like pretty quick sand , Betsy Guess we'll have back " Mournfully, Carter began bringing the cart about The way they had come was so rough and uneven that he hated the thought of travelling over it again "But that won't take us Emerald City," objected Betsy, beginning to grow little anxious "Maybe find path looked carefully enough "

Jumping cart, Betsy climbed small dune But as far eye could reach nothing but sand Sand, sand, sand, shimmering dizzily sunlight, with not tree, path or even blade of grass to break the monotony With sigh, Betsy started down the dune She had gone about half-way, when big, newspaper-wrapped package made her pause covered with queer writing that understand, but looked so interesting she hastily shook it open Imagine her astonishment when huge pair of sandals tumbled out They were cut from white leather, had silver buckles and were almost large enough for giant

"Why, I believe they'd fit Carter," murmured Betsy in pleased surprise "How lucky them " Gathering the sandals up in her arms, she ran down Vegetable Man almost as pleased as she was, trip across the dry desert had already begun to curl up his toes and, while she climbed back cart, he sat down them on They were bit long, but just the right width and as he fastened the first one he noticed two words cut buckle

"Quick Sandals," murmured Carter under his breath "Now what may that mean ? " But hurry off, stop to puzzle it out and drawing other sandal, jumped excitedly feet "Now I won't be taking root ! " he cried joyfully "Now-A strange look came into his mild blue eyes, and next instant he had sprung air like jack rabbit "Help ! " screamed the Vegetable Man "Spinach ! Tomatoes ! Turnips and Cress ! " And while Betsy stared at him in dismay and growing alarm, he sprang twice as high as he had first place, seized the handles cart and started on gallop quick sand

"Oh stop ! Oh stop ! " wailed the little girl frantically "Stop, Carter, stop ! " But he paid not the smallest attention to her Now they were quick sand itself and Betsy, with scream, buried her face cabbages But the rattle and bump cart continued and, concluding that swallowed up yet, she ventured to raise her head What she saw was worse that she even courage to cry "Stop ! " They had crossed the quick sand and were right edge Deadly Desert Betsy well knew the look dread wilderness that surrounds the Fairyland of Oz and she knew also that contact with its burning sands meant instant destruction She tried to signal Vegetable Man, but the cart was bumping and bouncing so terribly, all do from falling out Carter himself was running his life depended upon it, his celery tops waving wildly corn ears rustling wind With choked sob, poor little Betsy shut her eyes and dropped face down vegetables

CHAPTER 5

Prisoners in Rash

BETSY never destroyed in her life, so she was not at all sure how it would feel hot dry wind whistled through her hair, and above the rumble wheels hear the sharp gasps of Carter Green Then everything stopped at once, the cart, the burning wind hoarse breathing Vegetable Man

"He's destroyed," cried Betsy despairingly, "and now it's my turn " Closing her eyes and trying hard brave, Betsy waited for destruction But nothing at all happened and after few terrible moments, she sat up and peered timidly around her On pink mile stone, beside the cart, sat the Vegetable Man, staring across the Deadly Desert Following his startled gaze, Betsy saw two white objects, skipping merrily toward the sky line It sandals Just as she had made sure of it, they disappeared in final spurt of speed and sand

"Why, how did they get off ? " stammered Betsy, blinking with astonishment

"Took themselves," groaned the Vegetable Man, rubbing his shins, "and glad did But they've brought us safely across the quick sand and Deadly Desert and here ! "

"Yes," agreed Betsy resignedly, "here , but where are we ? I didn't know they were quick sandals Did they really run away ? " Carter nodded and rose stiffly feet

" say Betsy," grunted the Vegetable Man, "I prefer to run myself and not be carried off by frisky pair of shoes I'll do my own kicking, my own stopping and my own starting, ! And we'd better start right away or everything spoiled " He looked anxiously cart and, jumping out, Betsy began to help him dust and rearrange the vegetables They sadly jolted about trip

As impossible back across the desert without the quick sandals, they sensibly decided forward There were two roads, stretching invitingly ahead and after short debate they took the left one

"This reminds me little Rose Kingdom," mused Betsy, walked along under the flowering trees "Everything is pink, Carter, noticed, even the clouds "

"Why there's pink castle ! " cried Carter, with an excited wave "Maybe sell the King country some cabbages and maybe tell us the way back Emerald City "

"Perhaps we'd better try cottages first," suggested Betsy uneasily In her many adventures she had discovered that kings always safe nor agreeable persons to deal with

"No ! No ! " insisted Carter, "Kings best customers, Betsy Compliment and flatter 'em and sell 'em the whole cart load, that's my way Jump in and I'll run you right castle "

Lifting her gaily cart, he started briskly down the pink lane calling, "Cabbages ! fresh cabbages ! " top vegetable voice The lane led straight into bright pink city and Betsy soon grew so interested in its tall turbaned citizens and queer cottages and shops that she forgot to worry King She remembered afterward the scared glances of townsmen, went rattling by, but neither she nor Carter noticed anything amiss Vegetable Man never stopped till he reached the pink palace itself As Carter paused under balcony and began lustily calling his wares, window just below was flung up violently and turbaned head wagged warningly over the sill

"Go away ! Go away ! " quavered an old man, in frightened voice "The Pasha is in terrible temper Go away ! Go away, rash mortals, I beg of you ! "

But the Vegetable Man only laughed "Wait till he's seen my cabbages," called Carter, holding one up proudly "Wait-" And have long to wait, let me tell you, for precise moment the Pasha of Rash rushed out balcony-the Pasha, himself, and Ippty, Chief Scribe Realm, for Betsy Vegetable Man had, probably guessed already, run straight into that peppery country

"Good morning ! " cried Carter, pleasantly, in no wise alarmed fearful frown Rash Ruler "Permit me to observe that your Highness is beautiful as banana and fragrant as an onion And here Let me serve your Majesty with fresh young cauliflower, bunch of beets or this handsome cabbage ! " Carter held up the cabbage coaxingly

"A cabbage ! cabbage ! " choked Irashi, turning perfectly pink with passion "How dare you offer me cabbage ? " So angry that further speech was impossible, he turned furiously to Ippty, waving his arms and sputtering like motor cycle

"Begone, pernicious peddlers," ordered the Chief Scribe, pointing his fountain pen finger sternly two travellers "Begone at once from Rash "

Three drops of ink fell upon Betsy's upturned nose and, thoroughly alarmed, the little girl sprang cart and tried to pull Carter away

"Hurry up ! Hurry up ! " she begged breath-lessly, "Let's run " But already the Vegetable Man had tarried too long and was firmly rooted spot And while he tugged wildly at one foot and then the other and Betsy jumped up and down with fright and impatience, Ippty leaned over the balcony closer inspection Vegetable Man proved so astonishing Chief Scribe that he nearly fell over the railing

"He has corn ears ! " yelled Ippty shrilly, "and turnip nose Look ! Look monstrous creature ! " Thus urged, Irashi, himself, peered over the railing Perceiving in moment what had happened to Carter, he began to stamp and shriek with anger

"How dare you plant your feet in my best flower beds," howled Irashi "Call out the Guards ! Throw them tiger Salt ! Vinegar ! Mustard ! Pepper ! " At each shriek Rash Guardsman dashed palace, and before Carter could jerk himself loose he and Betsy were overpowered

" 't help taking root," protested Betsy indignantly "He's Vegetable Man "

"Aha ! Now getting root matter," snickered Ippty harshly "And what right has Vegetable Man in Rash, young lady ? "

"Root him up ! Throw him tiger Vegetable Man ! Vegetable Man, indeed ! " roared Irashi, stamping one foot and then the other

"Tiger ! " groaned Carter "How perfectly carnivorous ," he added turning quickly to Betsy "It wouldn't hurt me, for no feelings, but ruin my business Spare me ! " he cried, waving his arms imploringly up balcony "And spare me, spare my potatoes, my cabbages and fresh young beets And spare this lovely little lady from Oz ! "

"We'll spare you, all right," wheezed Irashi grimly

"He'd make excellent soup, your Highness ! " suggested Ippty, glancing down sideways Vegetable Man, but Irashi shook his head