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"But how would Ozma know where to look for you?" asked Reddy.
"The Magic Picture would show her," answered Betsy, and quickly explained the most magic
of Ozma's possessions. This curious painting hangs in the royal palace, and when Ozma wishes to know
where her friends are and what they are doing she has but to stand before it and request them to appear.
Immediately they flash into view, the picture showing just where they are and what they are doing at the
time. More than once, Ozma had saved her subjects from serious disaster by consulting the Magic
Picture, and it did seem strange that she had not looked for Betsy and the Hungry Tiger.
While Betsy and the little Prince were still puzzling over it, they stepped across the rocky
borders of the Gnome King's dominion into a pleasant farming country and they were all so relieved to
find themselves once again in more natural surroundings that they stopped worrying and began to enjoy
themselves. The fields of potatoes and cabbages were especially cheering to Carter Green, and when
they came up on a waving field of corn, he gave a joyful shout and sprang lightly over a fence.
"Wait!" he called gaily holding up both hands. "Wait till I pick a couple of ears!"
CHAPTER 12
Immense City
WHEN the Vegetable Man returned with his new corn ears, nicely adjusted, everyone felt
more cheerful.
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"Can you hear?" asked the Hungry Tiger curiously.
Carter nodded. "I think they're even better than the last pair," he confided happily. "It isn't
everyone who can pick a new ear when his old one pops or wears out. Not so bad being a Vegetable
Man, eh, Betsy, my dear?"
"No," agreed the little girl thoughtfully, "and you haven't taken root for a long time, have you
Carter?"
The Vegetable Man grinned. "Haven't had a chance," he chuckled merrily. "We haven't stayed
in one place long enough for that. I hope the next country we come to is calm and quiet and that I can
pick up a cart and some fresh vegetables."
"I hope we can pick up a square meal," roared the Hungry Tiger, licking his whiskers hungrily.
"I hope there's some magic!" Clasping her hands, Betsy looked around expectantly. "Then we
could cross the Deadly Desert and go home. I kinda miss Dorothy and Ozma," she acknowledged
wistfully. "And I'd like to see Hank."
"Well, I hope we find the last ruby," exclaimed Prince Evered. "The one Kaliko had must have
been the ruby that protected one from danger by water. You said he bought it from a fisherman, Carter?"
"Yes," mused the Vegetable Man. "It must be the one Irashi flung into the river, while the one I
found was the ruby that protects from danger on the earth and under the earth. Look how it saved us
from the pick-axes and the fire-fall!"
"Then the only one left to find is the ruby that protects you from danger in the air," reflected
Betsy thoughtfully. "Do you spose we'll have to fly up in the air to find it?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it," growled the Hungry Tiger, shaking his handsome head.
"Falling is bad enough; flying would turn my whiskers perfectly white. We'll stay on the earth if we can,
and travel back to Oz by the fastest route we can find. Then Ozma can settle affairs in Rash, discover the
where-abouts of the last ruby and restore Reddy to his throne."
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"Can Ozma do all that?" marveled the little Prince wonderingly.
"Ozma can do anything," Betsy answered proudly. "Just wait till you see the Emerald City and
Scraps and the Scarecrow."
"Tell me about them," begged the little Prince eagerly, and as the Hungry Tiger padded
comfortably down the long sunlit lanes, Betsy told Reddy all about the jolly inhabitants of Oz. The
Vegetable Man listened attentively, too, his new ears a bit forward and a dreamy expression in his kindly
blue eyes. But right in the middle of a description of Tik Tok, the metal man, he gave a bounce of
surprise.
"Spinach!" spluttered Carter Green explosively.
"Where?" inquired the Hungry Tiger, coming to an abrupt stop and blinking around longingly.
He was not very fond of spinach, but even spinach would taste better than nothing.
"I didn't mean spinach exactly," mumbled the Vegetable Man hurriedly. "But look!" Pointing
his twig-like finger to a bend in the road, Carter directed their attention to a weather beaten sign.
"Beware the Ants!" advised the sign myste-riously.
"Oh, I hope they're not red ants," murmured Betsy, anxiously. "Red ants bite!"
"Who's afraid of ants?" cried Reddy disdain-fully. "All you have to do is tread on em.
"That's right," agreed the Hungry Tiger. "I'm surprised at you, Carter, stopping us for a little
thing like that."
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"But suppose there were millions of them," shuddered the Vegetable Man uneasily. "I'd be a
feast for ants."
Betsy looked troubled, but the Prince of Rash, slapping his pocket suddenly, reminded her of
the Rash rubies. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]