"Oh, well," sighed Betsy, helping herself capably to spring chicken that was turning slowly on spit, " won't stay to wait on us, just help ourselves "

"What fun ! " chuckled Reddy, burying his nose in cherry tart, while the barber and sad singer divided huge sausage The Vegetable Man, not requiring food, busied himself with counting the oranges and apples window and wondered wistfully whether find cart somewhere and stir up some trade

But it Hungry Tiger who enjoyed himself most of all At one side room dozen roasts were waiting their turn ovens These, the famished tiger snapped up in 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, bowl of potato salad and tray full of biscuits just starting on huge ham, when commotion doorway made them all spin round It proprietor, and were twenty tall officers

They had great net, and Hungry Tiger gave convulsive swallow, they flung it over him and dragged the huge beast, the singer, the barber, Betsy, the Vegetable Man, little Prince of Rash out street

"Robbers ! " screamed the proprietor savagely, were hustled away "Wait till Dad hears "

"Why don't you bite them ? " wailed Betsy, trying to wriggle grasp officer who had her arm

"Too full," mumbled the Hungry Tiger in stuffy voice "Couldn't eat another bite, not even policeman But 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 Betsy Carter, other side, gave her such an encouraging wink little girl stopped worrying and began to look around with real interest Down Town, as Betsy had said first place, was quite like other down towns, except that there were no motors nor wagons men who crowded the streets were gaily costumed in green and yellow bills Four Down Officers had hold net entangling the Hungry Tiger, one officer had hold of each others rest tramped importantly ahead procession

"Who's Dad ? " asked Betsy, were propelled swinging doors of large white bank

"The King," answered the officer haughtily

"Is he kind King ? " sniffed the sad singer nervously "What kind of 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 next minute they were all marched out roof In swivel chair on top bank, sat Dad reading paper and beside him on 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 low bow

CHAPTER 9

The Indus Tree

officer's ringing words, King Dad lowered his paper, and as he got good look Hungry Tiger, his chair fell forward with crash

"A tiger, Nance ! " stuttered Dad, rolling his eyes wildly Queen

"But it's tied," answered the Queen of Down Town calmly " the charges officer ? "

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

"But we only wanted little breakfast," began Betsy tremulously, "and

"A little breakfast ! " wheezed Dad, and putting 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 floor "They shall pay well "

"Why, that's mere bite for fellow like me," rumbled the Hungry Tiger, impatiently, "and I ate most of it "

"Wh-who ? " demanded Dad, holding on arms chair and blinking nervously great beast

" the Hungry Tiger of Oz, and these are my friends way Emerald City This little girl is Betsy Bobbin and allow me the Vegetable Man Pasha of-"

"Your tale drags," yawned her Majesty, fanning herself with her handkerchief "Cut it short Time is money down here thing is up and settle down "

"How clearly you put things," murmured Dad, looking affectionately at his Queen Betsy staring at Her Highness in perfect astonishment, for she entirely of money Her face and hair were of purest gold, her hands and feet of silver and her dress 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 daddies Betsy had known United States If he had just decided things for himself and not depended Queen, Betsy liked him better

"Well, ready up ? " asked Dad, looking from one other travellers "Ninety-nine dollars and sixty-eight cents, please "

"But we haven't any money," explained Betsy breathlessly "We started off hurry and-"

" have come Down Town had no money," muttered Dad reprovingly

"How dare you be without money ? " cried the Queen, springing up in perfect fury "How dare you come Down Town without money ? "

"Now, don't get frenzied, Fi Nance," begged Dad, patting her anxiously hand " easily make some money, " His words seemed to soothe the Queen

"That's so," she mused thoughtfully "Anybody can make money Down Town, just try hard enough " Almost pleasantly she turned to Betsy "You, my child," purred the Queen, resuming her seat, "you, may start as cash girl I myself was 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 little as she did so She was about the Queen that she had no desire 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 ? "

"A Prince," growled the Hungry Tiger

"A dry goods store the best place for him," murmured Dad "What two do ? " he demanded, looking over his specs barber and sad singer of Rash

"Anything ! Anything ! " whined the frightened prisoners, bumping their heads together in their anxiety

"Pooh ! " sniffed Dad scornfully "That means nothing whatsoever "

"Shampoo ? " suggested the barber hopefully "Let me give your Highness little shave and hair cut "

" barber ? " asked Dad, looking Rasher with more interest " 're barber, stay and welcome There's always room for another barber, Down Town "

" ! ! If your majesty will permit-" The barber bowed apologetically Prince of Rash, " remain here always wanted money," he acknowledged frankly

"Me too ! " gulped the sad singer eagerly

"I've sung until I'm hoarse, in Rash, And never earned cent in cash ! "

"He has voice like horse," whispered Dad, in loud aside Queen

"He sings like jack-ass ! " agreed Her Majesty readily "But let him stay Any kind of noise goes, Down Town Now others ? " She rolled her golden eyes in perplexity and disapproval Vegetable Man Hungry Tiger; then evidently giving them up, cried in loud voice, "The audience is over prisoners are discharged Let them make some money, pay up and settle down "

"Well, goodbye ! " smiled Dad, picking up his paper with sigh of relief " don't like the positions chosen , go down square and choose some others Take them public square ! " he ordered, waving officers

So, much to Betsy's little Prince's amusement, they were all hurried elevator, bank and marched along the streets city curious sign first corner puzzled Betsy

"Down Town belongs 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 "

passed along, Betsy looked curiously windows 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 some trick ," she whispered hurriedly Prince of Rash " we don't have to stay here long I won't be cash girl "

Prince Evered nodded emphatically, for he had no intention of becoming an office boy Just then they came public square and were marched solemnly gates

"Pick your tools and get started," ordered the first officer gruffly, and grumbling little among themselves, because the prisoners had got off so easily, the twenty tall Downsmen tramped noisily back station they had gone, the barber, razor, released the Hungry Tiger net

"I wonder what they meant about tools," murmured Betsy, staring all around her "Why what an enormous tree ! " It stood center square, spreading out in every direction, its branches weighed down with most curious collection of objects small notice tacked 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 big industries," gasped Carter Green, squinting up branches, "but I never knew they looked like this to stay Down Town, I suppose we had better pick our business at once