The Big Wig's Secret
The Giantess seemed astonished to find the Hungry Tiger without his
wraps, and picking him up began to scold gently. She was thrusting his
front paws into a doll's night dress, when a loud voice from the next
room made her pause.
"Bother!" exclaimed Princess Elma, putting the Hungry Tiger down beside
the plate of chicken, "I've got to take my bath. But I'll be right
back."
"Don't hurry," growled the Hungry Tiger, gnashing his teeth ferociously
as Elma ran toward the Big Wig nurse, standing in the doorway.
"Why don't you bite her," asked Reddy, venturing out from beneath the
chair.
"My conscience tells me it would be wrong," groaned the poor tiger.
"After all, she is only a child and really means no harm."
Princess Elma was gone so long that Reddy and the Hungry Tiger had time
to dine most comfortably on the plate of chicken and tell their strange
experiences in the Giant Castle. The Hungry Tiger was amazed to learn
how Reddy had been carried over the wall and listened eagerly to his
plans for escape.
"We'll wait till midnight," whispered the little Prince. "Then, with
the Rash rubies to protect us, we'll fall all the way down the stairs
and try to find our way out of the castle."
"I hope nothing has happened to Carter and Betsy," sighed the tiger
mournfully. "Help me out of these horrible sleeves, boy!" But Reddy
advised him to keep on the doll's gown so that Elma would suspect
nothing, and reluctantly the tiger agreed. "I had no idea kittens lead
such hard lives," he groaned dismally. "My ribs ache from hugging and
I've been dragged around all day like a duster. Hide, Reddy, hide! Here
she comes again."
Reddy lost no time in concealing himself beneath the chair, and
from his hiding place he watched the Giantess kiss the Hungry Tiger
good-night, and tuck him vigorously into the doll bed. Then, with a
huge yawn, she walked over to her own bed--the tiny bed that had so
astonished Reddy in the first place.
"How does the great creature expect to sleep in that?" thought the
little boy scornfully. How, indeed? Raising her hand to her head, Elma
calmly took off her huge wig, and as she did she shrank so swiftly
downward that Reddy clutched the leg of the chair and clapped his hand
over his mouth to keep from screaming aloud.
The Hungry Tiger, who had slept in the nursery the night before, was
equally astonished at this sudden change in the Princess. Rearing up on
all fours, he glared in disbelief at the little girl, who now no larger
than Reddy, jumped unconcernedly into bed and pulled the covers up to
her chin. The big wig, itself, grown small enough to fit a mortal-sized
person, lay on the floor beside her. So surprised that he forgot all
necessity for caution, Reddy rushed out from beneath the chair, but the
Hungry Tiger hastily waved him back and, curling down as if nothing
unusual had happened, pretended to be asleep. Fortunately the little
girl had not seen Reddy, and crawling cautiously back, he sank down
beneath the chair and tried to work out the puzzle.
"These Giants are frauds," decided the little boy exultantly. "Why,
they're Giants only when they wear their wigs."
He longed to talk it over with the Hungry Tiger, but realizing the
wisdom of hiding till all the Giants were abed, set himself patiently
to wait.
It grew quieter and quieter in the Giant's Castle, and as the nursery
clock tolled out twelve, the Hungry Tiger slipped noiselessly from his
bed and padded softly over to the little Prince.
"She's asleep," breathed the Hungry Tiger, "and so are the rest of
these bogus Big Wigs. Let's make a dash for it, my boy."
"I've been thinking," mused Reddy, as he helped the Hungry Tiger off
with the giant doll dress, "I've been thinking that it will take a long
time to get out of the castle and across the city. It might take us
till morning."
"All the more reason to start at once," urged the Hungry Tiger. "Come
along, let's start now."
But Reddy stood staring thoughtfully at the white wig beside Princess
Elma's bed. "I've been thinking," repeated the little boy, "that if I
put on that wig, I might grow into a Giant myself, run a hundred times
faster than I can now and fight anyone who tries to stop us."
"Better not," shuddered the Hungry Tiger nervously. "It might stick to
you. Come along, hop on my back and we'll manage somehow."
But Reddy, remembering the steepness of the Giant stair and the
hugeness of the Giant city, began to creep determinedly toward Elma's
bed. As he did, Elma stirred uneasily in her sleep, and alarmed, lest
she wake and seize the wig before he could, Reddy snatched it from the
floor and clapped it on his head. Stars! Up like a bean stalk shot the
little boy, till he feared his head would crack against the ceiling.
As he grew, the chairs, tables and furniture that had seemed so immense
assumed an astonishing smallness. The Hungry Tiger running in a frantic
circle round his feet, looked as he must have looked to Princess
Elma--a very tiny and cunning kitten. Taking a long breath, Reddy
leaned down, picked the Tiger up and ran out of the room. The Hungry
Tiger was scolding bitterly under his breath, but Reddy had to hold him
up to his ear to discover what he was saying.
"Mind what you're doing," rumbled the Hungry Tiger, crossly. "I'm
tired of being picked up like a bundle of rags and tossed about. Don't
squeeze me either or I'll bite off your thumb. Grr--uff! I'm real mad
at you!"
Chuckling a little to himself, Reddy promised to be careful, and
tucking the Hungry Tiger gently beneath his arm ran down the richly
carpeted hallway. He could not resist peeping into some of the rooms,
and everywhere the same sight met his eyes. Tiny beds stood in the
midst of gigantic bed chambers and the Giants themselves, no bigger
than ordinary folk, sleeping comfortably without their wigs.
"It would be a great chance to capture the city," mused Reddy to
himself and for a time wondered whether it might not be fun to try.
But he was so anxious to see Betsy and Carter and continue his search
for the lost ruby, that he decided to let the foolish Big Wigs rest in
peace. Quickening his steps, he hurried downstairs, unbolted the doors
and let himself out of the castle. Several Big Wig Guards looked at him
curiously, as he hurried down the street, but they made no attempt to
stop him.
"It's funny," said Reddy to the Hungry Tiger, as he panted along. "This
city doesn't look large at all and it's not nearly so big nor fine as
Rash."
"That's because you're a Giant now," roared the tiger, who was
gradually recovering his good humor. "It looks pretty big to me. Where
are we anyway?"
"Right at the gates," answered Reddy triumphantly. "Here, you, get out
of the way!" The Big Wig Guard, who was asleep with his back against
the wall, blinked with surprise and resentment as Reddy spun him out of
his path and slid back the bolts. Then, opening the gates, Reddy darted
through, calling Betsy Bobbin at the top of his voice.
"Hush!" roared the Hungry Tiger. "Be still, can't you. Do you want to
scare her to death?"
We know already how frightened Betsy and the Vegetable Man really
were. Failing to recognize Reddy in the huge big wig, as he came
bounding through the doorway, they took hands and ran for their lives.
"Come back! Come back!" pleaded the Prince of Rash, making frantic
little snatches at the fleeing pair. "Stop, Carter! Stop, Betsy! Don't
you know me?"
"The wig, idiot. Take off the wig," grumbled the Hungry Tiger, who was
tired of being jostled up and down. "Take off the wig."
So Reddy, who had been about to lift Betsy up and explain who he was,
snatched off his wig instead. In a twinkling he had shrunk down to
boy-size and, releasing his hold on the Hungry Tiger, chased merrily
after Carter and Betsy.
"Betsy! Betsy!" gasped the little Prince breathlessly. "Don't run away
from me." When Betsy, scarcely believing her ears, looked over her
shoulder and saw Reddy and the Hungry Tiger instead of a Big Wig, she
spun about in perfect astonishment.
"But the Giant!" exclaimed Betsy, while Carter Green hurried forward to
embrace Reddy and hug the Hungry Tiger. "What became of the Giant?"
"Here it is," coughed the Hungry Tiger, dropping Princess Elma's wig,
which he had picked up when Reddy dropped it, and brought along in his
teeth.
While Carter and Betsy continued to stare at them in wonder, Reddy
related the history of his experience in Immense City, and told how he
had stolen the wig. Then, to demonstrate its strange power, he tried it
on and turned before their eyes into a Big Wig himself.
"Well," sighed Betsy Bobbin, as he took it off and shrank down beside
her, "I don't believe anybody in Oz is having as queer adventures as
this. Do you, Carter?" The Vegetable Man shook his head positively.
"But they're turning out all right," he added cheerfully. "Here we
are, all together again, with two of the lost rubies and a magic wig
besides. I think we should be very happy," finished Carter, smiling at
the Hungry Tiger.
"That's because you were never a kitten," roared the tiger, beginning
to lick his satiny coat into smoothness again. "What I've endured at
the hands of that great girl no one will ever know! Ugh! Brrr-rr!"
"Won't she have to stay little without her wig?" asked Betsy,
curiously.
"Hope she does. Hope she feels just as small as I did," grumbled the
Hungry Tiger vindictively. "She's far safer as she is now."
"Maybe they'll make her a new one," suggested Reddy. "Why, Betsy,
they're not Giants at all--just big frauds and I'm going to keep this
wig always, just to remember them by."
"Don't wear it when I'm around," groaned the Hungry Tiger, rolling his
yellow eyes fiercely. "I don't want to remember 'em, and every time I
look at it I'll think of the awful day I spent as a kitten."
Though it was way past midnight, the four adventurers had so much to
tell and so many plans to make for the morrow, it was a long time
before they finally settled themselves for sleep. But after Betsy had
heard all over again about Princess Elma's marvelous toys and how
Reddy had fallen into the giant water pitcher, the little boy and girl
stretched out on the soft grass beside the road and pillowing their
heads comfortably on the tender-hearted old tiger, slept soundly as
tops. But Carter did not need to sleep, so perching upon a fence,
he watched the moon sailing across the starry sky and kept a sharp
look-out for Giants.