"Don't cry," begged the Hungry Tiger miser-ably dreadful everyone afraid of him, especially helpless little boy "Why, he's no older than Betsy," thought the Hungry Tiger, bristling with anger at Irashi's wickedness " stop crying, I'll take you for ride all round the courtyard," he promised breathlessly This offer so astonished the little fellow that his arm from before his face and blinked through his tears huge beast no mistaking the kindly expression Hungry Tiger's eyes, and with gasp of relief he jumped up and was about to mount the great beast, when thin figure leapt top wall and came hurtling down

"Spare him ! Spare him, cruel monster ! " wheezed the newcomer hoarsely " old and thin, but eat me instead " Placing himself Hungry Tiger boy, the old Rasher extended his arms pleadingly Fizzenpop, and Hungry Tiger drew back with embarrassment and surprise, the Grand Vizier of Rash flung himself at his feet

" Scarlet Prince ! " panted Fizzenpop, beating his head up and down stones, "Prince Evered of Rash ! "

"Sh- ! " warned the Hungry Tiger, looking about uneasily Then as Fizzenpop continued his entreaties, he held up his paw for silence "You're nice old bone," sighed the Hungry Tiger "But even so, no desire to eat you It's my conscience," he continued heavily "I've lived among people too long to hold position like this " The Grand Vizier could scarcely believe his ears

"But the other prisoners ? " he demanded wildly " eaten them ? " The Hungry Tiger, with tired shake head, waved toward the loosened paving stone The two corn ears Vegetable Man were sticking up crevice and carefully repeating below everything as it happened

"How can I ever ! " exclaimed Fizzenpop, prostrating himself again Hungry Tiger's feet

"Don't thank me, help me," begged the Hungry Tiger uncomfortably "And tell me more little chap Perhaps together plan way to escape Fizzenpop's brave action in offering himself in place little Prince made the Hungry Tiger feel terribly ashamed More and more coming to never to devour live man long story, and sitting down beside the water tub with Prince Evered lap, the Grand Vizier told how Irashi had stolen the throne Kingdom and made himself Pasha of Rash

" three magic rubies to protect the rightful rulers of Rash," explained Fizzenpop in low voice "One protects him from all danger by water, one protects him from all injury air other from all harm earth or under the earth; The rubies are embedded among other gems Rash scepter No sooner had Evered's father retired than Irashi began to scheme and plan himself king Knowing do nothing while the Rash rubies were possession, he managed, with Ippty's help, to steal the royal scepter Next he had the little Prince seized and hidden away After searching in vain for many months, I chanced yesterday into Rash Cobbler's shop and found Evered playing cobbler's children Hoping him safely country I hurried him back palace, but Irashi soon discovered him rest," Fizzenpop groaned heavily, "the rest, ! "

"But what became rubies ? " asked the Hungry Tiger, as Fizzenpop continued to stroke the head little Prince had happened last few hours that even Fizzenpop's story keep the Prince awake

"One he hurled highest turret palace, another he flung Rash River last he buried somewhere garden," answered the Grand Vizier sadly "Until we recover the three magic rubies the Prince's very life is in danger and Rash must remain under the wicked rule of Irashi, the Rough Every evening, when unobserved, searched most diligently precious gems, but without any success

"Well, Irashi won't rule long if find way out of here," growled the Hungry Tiger "Think, man ! no way out ? " Fizzenpop shook his head dejectedly and then, as growing late, they thought it best to conceal the little Prince rest prisoners

"Betsy," called the Hungry Tiger softly no answer and, pulling aside the pink paving block, he peered down cavern " asleep," muttered the Hungry Tiger in surprise "Here, Mr Fizzen-pop, you keep watch while I lower the boy " too dark , and Hungry Tiger had eased the ragged little Prince cave, he decided to step in himself how everything was going So he slipped gently down darkness

For nearly ten minutes Fizzenpop kept an anxious eye wall Then, feeling he had given the Hungry Tiger ample time to replace the block, he turned round no one courtyard

"Merciful mustard ! " gasped the Grand Vi-zier, dashing over opening Hanging down by his heels, he glared damp little chamber But perfectly empty No tiger ! No Prince ! No barber ! No anything ! Falling in, head first, Fizzenpop began feeling all over the walls and floors Then, as his search yielded nothing, he raised his voice in long dismal wail

"What's wrong ? " Three Rash Guards ap-peared sleepily wall and presently Irashi, himself, wrapped in pink bath robe, rushed out the matter

"The Tiger ! " gulped Fizzenpop wildly, "the Hungry Tiger has escaped ! " Fizzenpop was already in great disfavor, owing discovery lost Prince, and realizing instantly would never do Irashi the whole truth he resolved to save himself country and Evered by clever story So, while Irashi listened breathlessly wall, how he had come out to observe the great creature from Oz, how he had seen him prying up paving stone and had sprung courtyard him from escaping "But too late ! " lamented Fizzenpop shaking his head mournfully "The Hungry Tiger has disappeared by some miracle of magic ! "

"And such useful beast," sniffed Irashi "But you shall be rewarded Fizzenpop, brave action," and ordering the Guards to let down ropes Grand Vizier, the Pasha of Rash went regretfully back to bed "Oh, well," he yawned as he dropped into doze, "he's eaten that pest of Prince is something "

CHAPTER 7

Escape from Rash

Hungry Tiger had pushed back the pink block, Betsy and her two companions settled themselves as comfortably as little cavern too dark , but hear the sad singer crooning drearily to himself Carter immediately ran his fingers along the floor Fortunately stone

"No danger of taking root here," he whispered in relieved voice to Betsy "Hello, what's that racket ? " That racket, already know, was Irashi pink Guardsmen, and noise continued, the Vegetable Man, who was tallest, stuck his ears crevice blocks What Carter heard through his corn ears was simply amazing, and as he immediately repeated it little company below, they soon forgot their discomfort in their interest When Fizzenpop explained who the last prisoner was, the barber threw his shaving mug joyfully air and began to prance wildly up and down shins sad singer

"Three cheers Scarlet Prince ! " roared the barber, thumping wall razor "Three cheers for Prince Evered of Rash ! "

"Be quiet," begged Betsy anxiously, "they'll hear you Oh, hush ! " But the barber refused restrained and continued to thump enthusiastically wall Withdrawing his ears crevice, Carter groped about dark in an effort to stop the reckless fellow, but third snatch, the whole side cavern fell away and pitched the entire company into dark damp tunnel Carter managed to slip his arm round Betsy Bobbin, as he fell past her, and hear the sputter and groans Rash barber singer far below "Anyway ! " gasped Betsy, skidded down the slippery passageway together, "anyway we're out of Rash ! "

" anyway," groaned the Vegetable Man, trying himself and Betsy right side up "Well, anyway, I prefer some other way Whew ! "

Betsy was about to reply floor tunnel dropped out fell straight downward, then, striking rubbery incline, shot straight upward The rest trip was more like rush through scenic railway tunnel than anything Betsy ever had experienced Up slides, down slides, round loops, bends and curves, swooped the Rash prisoners till no breath left in And when, after half hour of it, they shot out open, they lay for nearly five minutes, perfectly motionless, where they had fallen Then the Rash singer sat up and in strangled voice quavered:

"We're down ! We're down and out of Rash, And everything has gone to smash ! Snif ! Snif ! trip like this upsets me, But how we got what gets me ! "

Probably continued his song indefinitely, but minute all of Carter's vegetables, which had slid more slowly down the tunnel, sprayed opening and simply overwhelmed him Betsy breath enough to laugh, but Carter, not being so easily winded, sprang up and ran singer's assistance

"They always throw things when I sing," sobbed the poor fellow, as Carter helped him feet, and little defiantly he repeated his last stanza:

"Snif ! Snif ! trip like this upsets me, But how we got what gets me ! "

"It gets me, too," mumbled the barber, rolling over and looking around razor "One minute there and next minute there we ain't ! Strikes me this ground is pretty soft Why, it's down," he puffed, blowing ball of fuzz end nose

Betsy, pulling up handful of what she supposed grass, found her fingers full of feathers, for they had landed very center of 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

" your fault," answered the Vegetable Man gravely " touched some secret spring pounded wall I don't know whether or not," sighed Carter rubbing his thin ankles doubt-fully

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

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

"Never mind, Buddy ! " The barber clapped Carter comfortably back "Maybe 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 tunnel I went clear other side world s'pose other side world ? Look, there's the moon ! "