"The moon, the moon, the moon , But never trust moon that's square ! It's shining squarely heads; We'll all be slaughtered 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 , but there's town over yonder Look ! " Not far away, shadowy and mysterious green light square moon, rose the towers and spires of strange city

"Well, the Hungry Tiger were here," cried Betsy Bobbin " little Prince I wonder cave wall closed up after it slid us down here ? "

Whiz ! Whirr ! Bang ! in answer to Betsy's question, the two came sailing tunnel, circled 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 flight mysterious passageway Slowly the big beast got his breath back and as he blew the downy feathers nose, the Rash Barber, with great ceremony, introduced the little Prince to Betsy Bobbin green moonlight she saw pleasant, freckle-faced little boy of about her own age His nose turned up, his collar turned down, and ragged clothes he had most kingly bearing Betsy knew at once that friends Prince Evered, himself, liked the little girl immediately and after they had compared notes on their terrible fall, he begged her him more 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 Vegetable Man, her trip across the Deadly Desert and arrival in Rash She was going on him little about Ozma Emerald City, but the sad singer had started such sleepy song of welcome to honor the little Prince that keep her eyes open Evered, too, soon began to nod and Hungry Tiger had wisely determined not to investigate the strange city till morning, they all curled up fields of down and were soon fast asleep All but Carter Green Since turning to vegetable require rest and all night long he paced up and down the white feathery field, thinking his own queer thoughts and keeping loving 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 huge sign corner 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 fluff of feathers that had lighted end nose "Wish catch couple, I'm so hungry ! "

"So am I," agreed Betsy, "and I don't see thing to eat, ? "

"Nothing but sun-beams," mused Carter, " 'd make pretty little breakfast, but we glad there's sun underground "

"Why, shouldn't there be ? " snapped the Hungry Tiger Being hungry made him bit irritable "Doesn't the sun go down every day ? " Betsy and Carter exchanged startled glances, for neither had thought ; little girl, gazing dreamily across the soft fields, began to wonder what exciting adventures and strange experiences lay ahead But the Hungry Tiger was more interested in food "Maybe there'll be something to eat city," he wheezed in weak voice "Let's waken the others " Prince Evered sad singer were already up and after few shakes and thumps 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 thing since I hit the feathers," yawned the barber, plucking tuft of down beard

"Well, Down," laughed Betsy, pointing sign

"And time up," added the Hungry Tiger gruffly "We're going off city over there find some breakfast

Jump on my back Betsy, and you, too " The Hungry Tiger nodded 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 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 year, , 's what Fizzenpop called me even when "

"Well, Fizzenpop were here now, sighed the Hungry Tiger regretfully, "too bad the trap door closed before it " The tiger had great admiration Grand Vizier of Rash and determined all power to restore Reddy throne

"Tell us more magic rubies," begged Betsy, tiger started briskly across the fields of Down

"Yes, do," urged the Vegetable Man, "we dropped out right middle story and most of knocked out head " Carter was trudging along beside the Hungry Tiger, but the barber singer, thinking it presumptuous to walk so close 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 little life cobbler's children

"Nothing's impossible," Carter reminded her gaily "Look at me ! " Betsy little Prince both had to grin, Vegetable Man did look impossible, and yet, there

"But how would the rubies if find them ? " asked Betsy, after little pause

" an 'R' cut in ," explained Reddy gravely, "and square

"R ! " shouted Carter, snatching out stalk 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 tail "Stop, 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 side ! "

"Why, it's Rash Rubies," screamed the Prince, nearly tumbling off the tiger "Where did you find that ? " Passing the beautiful gem from one other, Carter explained how he had found it in potato he had bought from gypsy

"But which ruby ? " panted the barber, pressing forward "It the one Irashi flung castle window, or it the one he buried garden Let me give your Highness tiny cut with my razor," he suggested brightly "Then, hurt, know the ruby that protects you from danger earth or under the earth "

Evered looked little doubtful, Hungry Tiger shook his head impatiently "Too risky," growled the tiger

"Let his Highness climb yonder tree," proposed the singer, waving toward feather fan tree that stood not far away "Then let him fall out If he breaks no bones know ruby that protects him from danger air

"Don't it ! " cried Betsy indignantly "It the ruby that protects you from danger water Then where'd you be ? "

"Let Reddy keep his ruby till danger threatens," advised the Hungry Tiger sternly "I'm not going him sliced and broken if help it " And he flashed his yellow eyes so threateningly barber and singer fell back in confusion

"But wasn't it lucky we met Carter ! " ex-claimed Betsy, Vegetable Man slipped the ruby into Evered's pocket "And King of Down lives city, and can just show us the way up, maybe find the other rubies and-"

"Something to eat," roared the Hungry Tiger, breaking into quick step

"When I'm the Pasha, anything you wish," promised the little Prince, smiling sideways at Carter Green " Keeper of Kites and Marbles , Betsy shall be Queen, Hungry Tiger all the rest nobility "

"Thanks," muttered the Hungry Tiger, grinning behind his whiskers that if he ever reached Oz in safety, nothing could tempt him away Emerald City again, not even his terrible appetite

"But what three R's stand for ? " asked Carter He turning the matter over mind for

"Readin', ritin', and rithmetic," guessed Betsy Bobbin

"Rightful Ruler of Rash," corrected Reddy, with cheerful bounce Now that magic rubies was possession anything seemed possible "Hurry up ! " over his shoulder Rash barber and singer "We're almost there " almost were, for beyond thin fringe of feather brush rose the high buildings and towers city they had seen moonlight The trip across the fields of Down rather tiresome The feet travellers sank at each step soft feathers, even the Hungry Tiger was panting little reached the city itself Over the gates, creaking backward and forward brisk morning breeze, was large silver sign

"Down Town," read Betsy, squinting little 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 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 gates of Down Town With creak and bang, they burst open whole Rash company fell through

"Food ! " roared the Hungry Tiger, charging at full speed down the main street " food ! " tiger's roars, such citizens as were 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 away they were as amazed and terrified tiger in their Down Town, as one in ours, and glimpsed Carter Green, they ran faster than ever

"Stop ! " shouted Betsy, flinging both arms around the tiger's neck from falling off "You're scaring everyone away Stop ! Here's restaurant ! "