"Maybe they won't ," faltered Betsy, looking uneasily over her shoulder But the Daddies paying the slightest attention little group square and, greatly relieved, they turned back Indus Tree

" things might prove useful, even if remain here," muttered Carter

"Why, there's razor ! " shouted the Rash barber in delight, and springing air, he snapped it off the lower branch and began to finger it lovingly

"I'd take that harp, if just reach it," sighed the sad singer, looking wistfully aloft

"I'll pick it ," offered Prince Evered obligingly, and swinging up tree he broke the harp from its stem and dropped it singer's arms

"See anything , Betsy ? " called the little Prince, and pushing aside cluster of paint brushes, he peered down at her expectantly But with things from, hard to decide There were thimbles and shears, bottles of ink, hammers, saws, buckets and mops, brooms and hoes, music rolls, miners' caps, rolling pins, cook books, compasses and ship models-everything that body would need to work with

While Reddy was waiting for Betsy up her mind, his curiosity carried him higher and higher branches Carter, too, walked round and round the base tree, shaking his head and exclaiming with surprise and astonishment But the Hungry Tiger had small use for tree that produced nothing to eat, nor was he interested in money or making money So, while the others examined the marvelous tree, he began looking for way out, and presently was rewarded, for far corner square were steps leading down into what seemed tunnel Stretching his neck cautiously doorway, the Hungry Tiger spied some directions

" subway here for Up Town," said sign

"Here ! Here ! I've found way out ! " roared the Hungry Tiger joyfully

"What kind of way ? " cried Carter, stum-bling over the wheel-barrow he had just plucked Indus Tree

"A subway ! " puffed the tiger "Tell the rest of 'em, quick ! "

"Come on ! Come on ! " cried Carter waving others "The Hungry Tiger has found some way out "

" , 'subway ! ' " growled the tiger bit temperishly " going that thing along ? " The Vegetable Man looked lovingly wheel-barrow

"It nearest thing to cart find," he murmured sadly, "and will come in very handy if I pick up some vegetables or fruit So will this " He patted small spade that had grown same branch wheel-barrow "Hello, here now ! " At Carter's cries, the little Prince of Rash, who trying to decide between policeman's club and sword, plucked the sword and came crashing to earth, followed by several bottles of ink and an ironing board

" to fight Kingdom," Betsy importantly, "and this sword will help " Betsy nodded understandingly, and without waiting to pick anything for herself she ran over Hungry Tiger They were all anxious to leave Down Town, and when Betsy told them little about subways (she had often been in subways United States) the Hungry Tiger gave the signal to start

"We've fogotten the barber singer," exclaimed Betsy, pausing suddenly top step But just then the two Rashers came hurrying over, and Hungry Tiger announced were going Up Town and from there back Marvelous Land of Oz, both drew back

"I've had enough ups and downs in my life," sighed the barber, "and will remain here and make my fortune Prince Evered may, perchance, be restored throne Then and then only will I return to Rash " The singer, after one look gloomy opening, declared that he too, preferred to stay Down Town

" harp and my beautiful voice, soon be rich man," he assured them earnestly, and with many goodbyes and good wishes the four travellers left them their fortunes Long after they had descended the steps and entered the subway itself, hear the plaintive wails sad singer thrum harp he had picked Indus Tree

dim and mysterious underground passageway, and after looking in vain for car or train to carry them Up Town, Betsy began following the arrows painted white washed walls

"There car somewhere," panted the little girl, after they had made fifty turns

"Try mine," invited Carter, and with tired smile Betsy dropped wheel-barrow Reddy was riding the Hungry Tiger, and after they had proceeded for more than an hour, the arrows stopped altogether

"Well, this isn't like our subways at all," exclaimed Betsy in disgust " take subway at home, you get somewhere "

"Isn't this somewhere ? " asked Carter, stooping little so enter rough stone cavern end tunnel Whistling cheerfully, he trundled Betsy low doorway The Hungry Tiger followed, sniffing the air suspiciously, and it confessed little rock chamber look very inviting The walls were of jagged gray stone, the floor damp and slippery whole place dismal and chilly as vault feeble light flickered down from an opening ceiling and after discouraged look round, Betsy shook her head

"We'll have back Down Town," she sighed sadly "I'll have cash girl after all ! "

"No you won't ! " called Reddy He had jumped off the tiger and gone to examine the back cavern "Here's door ! " Hurrying over, the others saw little Prince was right

"'Cave Inn,' " roared the Hungry Tiger, reading the door plate over the little boy's shoulder " 'Knock three times ' Why, that's fine ! 's an Inn, they'll surely have something to eat 't get out so go in," he finished with playful wink at Carter Stepping back few paces, the Hungry Tiger ran door and bumped his head three times against the brass plate third bump, the door of Cave Inn flew open, the floor cave itself, tilted forward four adventurers fell through Stones and dirt rattled down after them Hungry Tiger's growls mingled screams of Betsy and Evered, went tumbling down darkness

CHAPTER 10

The Magic Spectacles

KALIKO, King of all the gnomes, and metal monarch besides, sat gloomily jewelled rock throne underground cavern

"Nothing ever happens here," complained Kaliko, frowning at his Royal Chamberlain

"Let's have war," proposed Guph, looking up ruby scepter polishing "We haven't had war since Ruggedo left "

"Ruggedo ! " shrilled Kaliko, stamping his foot furiously "How dare you mention that name in my presence Begone ! Begone and never speak again

"Then I'll write," mumbled Guph, and picking up his bottle of ruby polish unconcernedly he left the throne room Ruggedo former King and had ruled over the gnomes for many years He deposed wickedness by powerful Jinn and Kaliko monarch place Later Ruggedo had tried to capture Oz, itself, and banished by Ozma to lonely isle Nonestic Ocean

But wicked as Ruggedo , the gnomes often sighed return Things more interesting during Ruggedo's reign and though Kaliko was good King, not half so interesting Kaliko knew this and any mention old gnome king always irritated him intensely For several moments after Guph's departure, he continued to mutter and mumble with displeasure Then, suddenly bethinking himself of new invention chief wizard, he reached into his pocket and brought out green case case was pair of pink spectacles, not merely spectacles, mind you, but exspectacles, gnome wizard had assured the King that he events occurred

Kaliko yet tried this new contrivance, and still grumbling little he set the exspec-tacles upon his nose and stared drearily rock wall in front of him He really expect anything to happen Therefore, when four figures appeared suddenly wall, start of astonishment Reflected rock surface as clearly it were moving picture, he four people making their way Lost Labyrinth Southern end dominions

"Guph ! Guph ! " shrieked the Gnome King, pounding vigorously gong at his side "Come back here at once And when Guph, rather sulkily, appeared, he pointed excitedly wall

"Look ! Look ! " commanded Kaliko "It's Betsy Bobbin, the Hungry Tiger of Oz and two others What in mud fellow made of anyway ? "

Rubbing his eyes, Guph stared wall and then at his master Then, taking scrap of paper from rock desk beside the throne, he scribbled two words paper and handed it King

"You're crazy, stated the paper, quite saucily

"How dare you write like that ! " fumed Kaliko, tearing the paper in two " dumb, can't you speak ? blind, can't ? " He waved again great rock Then, suddenly realizing that Guph the exspectacles to help him, tore them off and clapped them Chief Chamberlain's nose Immediately Guph was as excited as Kaliko

"Hurrah ! " exulted the little gnome, forgetting his determination not King again "Hurrah ! Now war Shall I call out the Guard the red hot dungeons heated ? Hah, Hah, Hah ! "

" you laughing at ? " exclaimed Kaliko, as Guph doubled up with mirth

"That animated truck garden," panted Guph "He's fallen corn ear Hungry Tiger just slipped into mud hole ! "

"Let me see," cried the King, snatching the exspectacles back again And next five minutes Kaliko Chief Chamberlain fought bitterly for possession magic glasses Kaliko had them, Guph wanted how the travelers were progressing, and Guph had them Kaliko insisted on having them back

"Well, shall war ? " grumbled Guph, as Kaliko seized the specs seventeenth time