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along； they came to some trees bearing fine red apples；
which they also feasted on； and the Wizard stopped here
long enough to tie a lot of the apples in one end of a
blanket。
〃We do not know what will happen to us after we leave
this delightful orchard；〃 he said； 〃so I think it wise
to carry a supply of apples with us。 We can't starve as
long as we have apples； you know。〃
Scraps wasn't riding the Woozy just now。 She loved to
climb the trees and swing herself by the branches from
one tree to another。 Some of the choicest fruit was
gathered by the Patchwork Girl from the very highest
limbs and tossed down to the others。 Suddenly Trot
asked： 〃Where's Button…Bright？〃 and when the others
looked for him they found the boy had disappeared。
〃Dear me！〃 cried Dorothy。 〃I guess he's lost again；
and that will mean our waiting here until we can find
him。〃
〃It's a good place to wait；〃 suggested Betsy； who had
found a plum tree and was eating some of its fruit。
〃How can you wait here； and find Button…Bright； at
one and the same time？〃 inquired the Patchwork Girl；
hanging by her toes on a limb just over the heads of
the three mortal girls。
〃Perhaps he'll come back here；〃 answered Dorothy。
〃If he tries that； he'll prob'ly lose his way； said
Trot。 I've known him to do that； lots of times。 It's
losing his way that gets him lost。〃
〃Very true；〃 said the Wizard。 〃So all the rest of you
must stay here while I go look for the boy。〃
〃Won't you get lost； too？〃 asked Betsy。
〃I hope not； my dear。〃
〃Let me go；〃 said Scraps； dropping lightly to the
ground。 〃I can't get lost； and I'm more likely to find
Button Bright than any of you。〃
Without waiting for permission she darted away
through the trees and soon disappeared from their view。
〃Dorothy；〃 said Toto； squatting beside his little
mistress； 〃I've lost my growl。〃
〃How did that happen？〃 she asked。
〃I don't know；〃 replied Toto。 〃Yesterday morning the
Woozy nearly stepped on me and I tried to growl at him
and found I couldn't growl a bit。〃
〃Can you bark？〃 inquired Dorothy。
〃Oh； yes； indeed！〃
〃Then never mind the growl；〃 said she。
〃But what will I do when I get home to the Glass Cat
and the Pink Kitten？〃 asked the little dog in an
anxious voice。
〃They won't mind； if you can't growl at them； I'm
sure；〃 said Dorothy。 〃I'm sorry for you； of course；
Toto； for it's just those things we can t do that we
want to do most of all； but before we get back you may
find your growl again。〃
〃Do you think the person who stole Ozma stole my
growl？〃
Dorothy smiled。
〃Perhaps； Toto。〃
〃Then he's a scoundrel！〃 cried the little dog。
〃Anyone who would steal Ozma is as bad as bad can
be；〃 agreed Dorothy； 〃and when we remember that our
dear friend； the lovely Ruler of Oz； is lost； we ought
not to worry over just a growl。〃
Toto was not entirely satisfied with this remark； for
the more he thought upon his lost growl the more
important his misfortune he came。 When no one was
looking he went away among the trees and tried his best
to growl even a little bit but could not manage
to do so。 All he could do was bark； and a bark cannot
take the place of a growl； so he sadly returned to the
others。
Now； Button…Bright had no idea that he was lost； at
first。 He had merely wandered from tree to tree；
seeking the finest fruit； until he discovered he was
alone in the great orchard。 But that didn't worry him
just then and seeing some apricot trees farther on he
went to them； then he discovered some cherry trees；
just beyond these were some tangerines。
〃We've found 'most ev'ry kind of fruit but peaches；〃
he said to himself； 〃so I guess there are peaches here；
too； if I can find the trees。〃
He searched here and there； paying no attention to
his way； until he found that the trees surrounding him
bore only nuts。 He put some walnuts in his pockets and
kept on searching and at last right among the nut
trees he came upon one solitary peach tree。 It was a
graceful； beautiful tree； but although it was thickly
leaved it bore no fruit except one large； splendid
peach； rosy cheeked and fuzzy and just right to eat。
Button…Bright had some trouble getting that lonesome
peach； for it hung far out of reach； but he climbed the
tree nimbly and crept out on the branch on which it
grew and after several trials； during which he was in
danger of falling； he finally managed to pick it。 Then
he got back to the ground and decided the fruit was
well worth his trouble。 It was delightfully fragrant
and when he bit into it he found it the most delicious
morsel he had ever tasted。
〃I really ought to divide it with Trot and Dorothy
and Betsy；〃 he said； 〃but p'rhaps there are plenty more
in some other part of the orchard。〃
In his heart he doubted this statement； for this was
a solitary peach tree； while all the other fruits grew
upon many trees set close to one another； but that one
luscious bite made him unable to resist eating the rest
of it and soon the peach was all gone except the pit。
Button…Bright was about to throw this peach…pit away
when he noticed that it was of pure gold。 gold。 Of
course this surprised him； but so many things in the
Land of Oz were surprising that he did not give much
thought to the golden peach…pit。 He put it in his
pocket； however； to show to the girls； and five minutes
afterward had forgotten all about it。
For now he realized that he was far separated from
his companions； and knowing that this would worry them
and delay their journey； he began to shout as loud as
he could。 His voice did not penetrate very far among
all those trees； and after shouting a dozen times and
getting no answer he sat down on the ground and said：
〃Well； I'm lost again。 It's too bad； but I don't see
how it can be helped。〃
As he leaned his back against a tree he looked up and
saw a Bluefinch fly down from the sky and alight upon a
branch just before him。 The bird looked and looked at
him。 First it looked with one bright eye and then
turned its head and looked at him with the other eye。
Then； fluttering its wings a little； it said：
〃Oho！ so you've eaten the enchanted peach； have you？〃
〃Was it enchanted？〃 asked Button…Bright。
〃Of course；〃 replied the Bluefinch。 〃Ugu the
Shoemaker did that。〃
〃But why？ And how was it enchanted？。 And what will
happen to one who eats it？〃 questioned the boy。
〃Ask Ugu the Shoemaker； he knows；〃 said the bird；
pruning its feathers with its bill。
〃And who is Ugu the Shoemaker？〃
〃The one who enchanted the peach； and placed it here
in the exact center of the Great Orchard so no
one would ever find it。 We birds didn't dare to eat it；
we are too wise for that。 But you are Button…Bright；
from the Emerald City； and you…you…YOU ate the
enchanted peach！ You must explain to Ugu the Shoemaker
why you did that。〃
And then； before the boy could ask any more
questions； the bird flew away and left him alone。
Button…Bright was not much worried to find that the
peach he had eaten was enchanted。 It certainly had
tasted very good and his stomach didn't ache a bit。 So
again he began to reflect upon the best way to rejoin
his friends。
〃Whichever direction I follow is likely to be the
wrong one；〃 he said to himself； 〃so I'd better stay
just where I am and let them find me if they can。〃
A White Rabbit came hopping through the orchard and
paused a little way off to look at him。
〃Don't be afraid；〃 said Button…Bright； 〃I won't hurt
you。〃
〃Oh； I'm not afraid for myself；〃 returned the White
Rabbit。 〃It's you I'm worried about。〃
〃Yes； I'm lost；〃 said the boy。
〃I fear you are； indeed；〃 answered the Rabbit。 〃Why
on earth did you eat the enchanted peach？〃
The boy looked at the excited little animal
thoughtfully。
〃There were two reasons；〃 he explained。 〃One reason
was that I like peaches； and the other reason was that
I didn't know it was