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loss； not ours。 If you love us； do not inflict your
burdens on us； be unhappy all by yourself。〃
〃If the same person stole my growl who stole Ozma；〃
said the little dog； 〃I hope we shall find him very
soon and punish him as he deserves。 He must be the most
cruel person in all the world； for to prevent a dog
from growling when it is his nature to growl is just as
wicked； in my opinion； as stealing all the magic in
Oz。〃
Chapter Eleven
Button…Bright Loses Himself
The Patchwork Girl； who never slept and who could see
very well in the dark； had wandered among the rocks and
bushes all night long； with the result that she was
able to tell some good news the next morning。
〃Over the crest of the hill before us；〃 she said； 〃is
a big grove of trees of many kinds； on which all sorts
of fruits grow。 If you will go there you will find a
nice breakfast awaiting you。〃
This made them eager to start； so as soon as the
blankets were folded and strapped to the back of the
Sawhorse they all took their places on the animals and
set out for the big grove Scraps had told them of。
As soon as they got over the brow of the hill they
discovered it to be a really immense orchard； extending
for miles to the right and left of them。 As their way
led straight through the trees they hurried forward as
fast as possible。
The first trees they came to bore quinces； which they
did not like。 Then there were rows of citron trees and
then crab apples and after。 ward limes and lemons。 But
beyond these they found a grove of big golden oranges；
juicy and sweet； and the fruit hung low on the
branches； so they could pluck it easily。
They helped themselves freely and all ate oranges as
they continued on their way。 Then； a little farther
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 f