"You'd better go, or Ozma of Oz will capture your whole kingdom We're important people back in Oz ! " shouted Betsy defiantly

"Perhaps the girl is right," ventured Fizzen-pop, who had stolen anxiously out balcony "What harm have they done ? Let them go, I beg ! " "No ! " With determined wag turban, Irashi signaled Guard and flounced back palace

"Don't cry, Betsy," begged the Vegetable Man The Guards had at last jerked him loose and were marching the two across the gardens "This tiger will probably eat me first and I'm so tough he'll choke to death and run away

"Well, I had never found those quick sandals," wailed the little girl "It quick sandals that brought us here, Carter, and I don't believe Ozma knows dreadful country at all Couldn't you please go Mr Pepper ? " she begged tearfully Guard The tall Rasher looked down at her doubtfully, but Salt, who had hold of Carter, and was just behind, shook his turban violently

" fail to obey the Pasha, we, ourselves, thrown tiger," sputtered Salt grimly

"That's right," chimed in Vinegar and Mustard, who were bringing up the procession Vegetable Man's cart "Let's hurry through with it ! " And turning deaf ear pleas prisoners, the Rash Guardsmen rushed them across the lawn, up the steep steps and threw them over the prison wall Then, without one backward glance, they marched off palace

Too breathless to run, Betsy picked herself up and looked fearfully around tiger Ugh ! There and growling frightfully, vegetable cart and all the vegetables had hit him head Slashing right and left and shaking himself so violently, that potatoes, beets and apples flew in every direction, he rose and started toward her This, after all the other frightful happenings morning, was and covering her face, Betsy burst into tears But if Betsy was frightened, the Hungry Tiger was perfectly petrified

"Betsy ! Betsy ! " panted the astonished beast "How in Oz did you get here ? " And rubbing his soft nose against her cheek, he began to dry her tears tongue first sound familiar voice, Betsy's eyes flew open and next instant she had both arms round the Hungry Tiger's neck, hugging him for dear life

"Carter ! Carter ! " called the little girl excitedly, "Don't be scared It's the Hungry Tiger, the Hungry Tiger of Oz ! " She fairly sang out the name, in her relief and happiness The Vegetable Man had dropped head first tiger's tub of water At Betsy's cries, valiant attempt to rise, but when her actually embracing the tiger so startled and horrified that he fell back with splash

"Hungry Tiger ! " gurgled Carter, bobbing up and down like cork, "Hungry Tiger ! Then the worse ! "

CHAPTER 6

The Scarlet Prince

"WOULD you mind not using my drinking cup for bath," observed the Hungry Tiger mildly, as Carter continued to gurgle and splash about tub Laughing with relief, Betsy seized the Vegetable Man's hands and pulled him water

"Don't be scared," whispered Betsy comfort-ably "This tiger's friend and he wouldn't hurt anybody ! "

"Then what's he doing here ? " asked Carter accusingly " parsnippy Pasha his friend, too ? " The Hungry Tiger winced guiltily at Betsy's kind little speech, but resolved that she should never know he had willingly come to Rash "I'm his prisoner," he explained in hollow voice (And, indeed, terribly hollow ) "I'm prisoner like yourselves " In husky roar, trip by hurry-cane to Irashi's Kingdom and imprisonment Rash courtyard

"So this light fingered Ippty brought you here," mused Carter wonderingly "But why ? "

"To eat the Rash Prisoners," answered the Hungry Tiger faintly

"And eaten any ? " Betsy regarded her old friend anxiously

"Well, not yet," admitted the Hungry Tiger, rolling his eyes mournfully little girl "Not yet ! "

"Have cabbage," quavered Carter, waving toward the overturned vegetable cart "Have cauliflower or nice bunch of beets " The Hungry Tiger was perfect stranger to him, and Carter feel the same confidence beast that Betsy seemed

"More vegetables," groaned the tiger, sniffing the air sadly "Well, I suppose better than nothing But tell me Betsy, how in Oz did you ever get here and who," he blinked rapidly strange figure of Carter Green, "who person ? "

With little chuckle, Betsy introduced the Vegetable Man, then as quickly as told amazing adventures winding road and quick sandals and of Carter's unfortunate experience Pasha's garden

"Isn't there some way out of here ? " asked the little girl, looking around nervously "Oh ! What's that ? " dismal wail, issuing stones beneath her feet, made Betsy leap air

"It's that singer again," growled the Hungry Tiger and, lashing his tail little, he put his nose close crevice blocks "Less noise down there," he roared warningly

"I always sing when I'm hungry," answered the singer "Oh, I'm so hungry ! "

"Hand me tomato or something," rumbled the Hungry Tiger "Quick ! " The Vegetable Man made haste to obey, bringing several tomatoes and dozen apples Looking up wall that not observed, the Hungry Tiger pushed them hurriedly crevice last apple disappeared, moist song, punctuated with sobs, came sighing upward

"Oh beautiful Tiger, I love you so, , snif snuffle, my life I owe And I'll devote it to songs of praise And sing, snif, snif, , all days ! "

"Mercy ! " gasped Betsy Bobbin The Hungry Tiger was so embarrassed sad singer's ditty that, , he couldn't roar word Then, as Carter and Betsy continued to look at him inquiringly, he explained how he had hidden the Rash Singer instead of eating him

"See ! " cried Betsy, turning proudly Vegetable Man " you he wouldn't hurt anyone ! you're just the dearest splen-didest tiger I ever- "

"Sh ! " cautioned the Hungry Tiger "Here comes another prisoner Quick, now, pretend you're afraid of me ! " Betsy Vegetable Man had just time to crouch back against the wall, guards dropped another Rasher courtyard

"It's barber," whispered Betsy, in an interested voice, and she was right, for clutched in one hand the prisoner had mug full of suds and other gleaming razor

"What frightful luck," moaned the Hungry Tiger " had only been bandit or robber eaten him without qualm, but barber, ugh, he smells of bay rum Stop that racket, fellow, and let me think ! "

And certainly, the poor tiger had plenty to occupy his thoughts, for if things went on fashion the underground cavern would soon be full and then what would happen ? And how ever was he little Betsy Bobbin safely back to Oz ? Paying no attention terrified squeals barber, the Hungry Tiger began to pace restlessly up and down the courtyard, till Betsy, feeling sorry frightened little man, ran out and assured him in no danger of being eaten

barber stopped shivering, but at last, tboroughly convinced, he hurried impetuously tiger "Let me trim your beautiful whiskers," he begged tremulously

"Trim mine," invited Carter, Hungry Tiger impatiently shook his head The Vegetable Man's rootlike beard had sprouted foot since morning, so, trembling with relief and gratitude, the Rash barber stood edge tub and trimmed it most skillfully, trying same time to bring Carter's celery top hair into some kind of order Vegetable Man, in answer barber's questions, had told bit about himself and Betsy, the barber related how he had accidently cut the cheek of Irashi, while shaving him

"Just tiny scratch," explained the barber, "and condemned to die "

"But why do such bad King ? " exclaimed Betsy, impatiently "Why don't you put him out and elect another ? "

"We've tried," sighed the barber dolefully, "but Irashi army power, and with Ippty's help has outwitted us every time "

"Is Ippty the fellow fountain pen finger ? " asked Betsy curiously

The barber nodded "He has handful of odd fingers," he continued despondently, "a pencil, sealing wax finger, an eraser, candle thumb and pen-knife besides Oh, he's handy rogue for fellow like Irashi, but the real ruler of Rash is Asha, the brother present Pasha Weary cares of state, he retired to an unknown country to study radio, leaving his small son and Fizzenpop to govern the Kingdom No sooner had he gone than Irashi seized the throne and hid the little Prince away Until the lost Prince, nothing ," finished the Rash Barber sorrowfully

"Well, I'll tell Ozma on him," declared Betsy determinedly, "just I get back Emerald City "

" we ever will get back ? " The Hungry Tiger paused restless walk and regarded the little group mournfully "I've been here two days and there's not chink anywhere wall "

"Let's all look," proposed Betsy, jumping up, and encouraged by her cheerfulness, the four prisoners made careful tour pink courtyard But after several hours spent in an unsuccessful search, even Betsy grew downhearted

"Shall something to eat ? " asked the little girl, all dropped down wearily beside the Hungry Tiger's water tub "It's good thing they threw that cart over , we won't starve ! " Insisting was his part performance, Carter passed round tomatoes and apples, till everyone felt refreshed Even the Hungry Tiger, after swallowing several dozen of each, admitted that little less hollow

" most day time," advised the Hungry Tiger gloomily, "for to-night supposed eaten and to hide down below till some way out of Rash ! " not pleasant prospect, and though Carter did what things cheerful, Betsy barber grew quieter and quieter afternoon advanced

No more prisoners were flung over the wall, and first stars twinkled out, the three slipped silently underground cave The Hungry Tiger had just pushed the pink paving stone back, when Irashi and Ippty, preceded pink Guards bearing torches, stepped out wall

"Good evening, furious feline ! " called Ippty shrilly "How do and how do it ? He's eaten the entire lot," he explained in breathless whisper to Irashi

"We've brought you some dessert," announced the Pasha, who seemed in high good humor "A tempting little waif Throw the little waif over," playfully Guards The Hungry Tiger had immediately turned his back upon these Rash rascals, but as crumpled little bundle came tumbling down beside him, he swung around What made him roar so ferociously that Irashi, Ippty pink Guards covered their ears and fled wall

"What's he saying ? " gasped the Pasha, sinking down on pink settee and clapping his fat hands quivering middle