Chapter 8: In Down Town
Betsy awakened next morning, she saw the Hungry Tiger and Carter staring curiously at a huge sign in the corner of the 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 a fluff of feathers that had lighted on the end of his nose. "Wish I could catch a couple, I'm so hungry!"
"So am I," agreed Betsy, "and I don't see a thing to eat, do you?"
"Nothing but sun-beams," mused Carter, "and they'd make a pretty little breakfast, but we ought to be glad there's a sun so far underground."
"Why, shouldn't there be?" snapped the Hungry Tiger. Being hungry made him a bit irritable. "Doesn't the sun go down every day?" Betsy and Carter exchanged startled glances, for neither of them had thought of this; and the little girl, gazing dreamily across the soft fields, began to wonder what exciting adventures and strange experiences lay ahead of them. But the Hungry Tiger was more interested in food. "Maybe there'll be something to eat in the city," he wheezed in a weak voice. "Let's waken the others." Prince Evered and the sad singer were already up and after a few shakes and thumps on the 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 a thing since I hit the feathers," yawned the barber, plucking a tuft of down from his beard.
"Well, this is Down," laughed Betsy, pointing to the sign.
"And time to get up," added the Hungry Tiger gruffly. "We're going off to that city over there to see if we can find some breakfast.
Jump on my back Betsy, and you, too." The Hungry Tiger nodded at the 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 a 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 a year, you know, and that's what Fizzenpop called me even when I was."
"Well, I wish Fizzenpop were here now, sighed the Hungry Tiger regretfully, "too bad the trap door closed before he found it." The tiger had a great admiration for the Grand Vizier of Rash and determined to do all in his power to restore Reddy to his throne.
"Tell us more about the magic rubies," begged Betsy, as the tiger started briskly across the fields of Down.
"Yes, do," urged the Vegetable Man, "we dropped out right in the middle of the story and most of it was knocked out of my head." Carter was trudging along beside the Hungry Tiger, but the barber and the singer, thinking it presumptuous to walk so close to the 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 a little of his life with the cobbler's children.
"Nothing's impossible," Carter reminded her gaily. "Look at me!" Betsy and the little Prince both had to grin, for the Vegetable Man did look impossible, and yet, there he was.
"But how would you know the rubies if you did find them?" asked Betsy, after a little pause.
"There is an 'R' cut in each one," explained Reddy gravely, "and they are square.
"R!" shouted Carter, snatching out a stalk of his 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 by the tail. "Stop, I think 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 on the side!"
"Why, it's one of the Rash Rubies," screamed the Prince, nearly tumbling off the tiger. "Where did you find that?" Passing the beautiful gem from one to the other, Carter explained how he had found it in a potato he had bought from a gypsy.