"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 whereabouts of the last ruby and restore Reddy to his throne."
"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 mysteriously.
"Oh, I hope they're not red ants," murmured Betsy, anxiously. "Red ants bite!"
"Who's afraid of ants?" cried Reddy disdainfully. "All you have to do is tread on 'em."