ly washed his face with his left paw. Then he said:

"I'm getting old, and it would please me to eat at least one fat baby
before I die. Suppose we surprise these people of Oz and prove our
power. What do you say? We will walk out of here just as usual and the
first baby we meet I'll eat in a jiffy, and the first man or woman you
meet you will tear to pieces. Then we will both run out of the city
gates and gallop across the country and hide in the jungle before anyone
can stop us."

"All right; I'm game," said the Lion, yawning again so that he showed
two rows of dreadfully sharp teeth.

The Tiger got up and stretched his great, sleek body.

"Come on," he said. The Lion stood up and proved he was the larger of
the two, for he was almost as big as a small horse.

Out of the palace they walked, and met no one. They passed through the
beautiful grounds, past fountains and beds of lovely flowers, and met no
one. Then they unlatched a gate and entered a street of the city, and
met no one.

"I wonder how a fat baby will taste," remarked the Tiger, as they
stalked majestically along, side by side.

"I imagine it will taste like nutmegs," said the Lion.

"No," said the Tiger, "I've an idea it will taste like gumdrops."

They turned a corner, but met no one, for the people of the Emerald City
were accustomed to take their naps at this hour of the afternoon.

"I wonder how many pieces I ought to tear a person into," said the Lion,
in a thoughtful voice.

"Sixty would be about right," suggested the Tiger.

[Illustration]

"Would that hurt any more than to tear one into about a dozen pieces?"
inquired the Lion, with a little shudder.

"Who cares whether it hurts or not?" growled the Tiger.

The Lion did not reply. They entered a side street, but met no one.

Suddenly they heard a child crying.

"Aha!" exclaimed the Tiger. "There is my meat."

He rushed around a corner, the Lion following, and came upon a nice fat
baby sitting in the middle of the street and crying as if in great
distress.

"What's the matter?" asked the Tiger, crouching before the baby.

"I--I--I-lost my m-m-mamma!" wailed the baby.

"Why, you poor little thing," said the great beast, softly stroking the
child's head with its paw. "Don't cry, my dear, for mamma can't be far
away and I'll help you to find her."

"Go on," said the Lion, who stood by.

"Go on where?" asked the Tiger, looking up.

"Go on and eat your fat baby."

"Why, yo