登陆注册
5255700000024

第24章 Chapter Eleven Button-Bright Loses Himself(1)

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.

同类推荐
  • 芙蓉镜寓言

    芙蓉镜寓言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 梅谱

    梅谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太清金液神丹经

    太清金液神丹经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 巡诸州渐次空灵戍

    巡诸州渐次空灵戍

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 龙虎还丹诀颂

    龙虎还丹诀颂

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 命运指引者

    命运指引者

    命运的长河奔流不息,未来的方向上有着无数支流,而没有人可以真正地预测它的最终流向。真的是这样吗?齐恩思不这么想。至少,他要往自己讨厌的那些支流上筑起大堤。
  • 总要有一番努力,才不会辜负我们的人生

    总要有一番努力,才不会辜负我们的人生

    人生就像一场马拉松,每一个阶段只是其中的一个转折点,即使没有跑出好成绩也没关系,因为这毕竟不是终点,而是一个新的起点。我们的青春就应该义无反顾地勇往直前,所以,趁着年轻,努力奔跑吧,少年!
  • 绝世皇妃

    绝世皇妃

    她穿越到古代,成为嫡女……然而,皇宫之宫却满满的都是仇恨。她无奈之下,选择离开自己的国家……在异国他乡施展一身的才华。
  • 学蔀通辨

    学蔀通辨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 魂斗大陆

    魂斗大陆

    穿越虽然太老套了,可是我还是穿越了!金木水火土也落伍了,可是我却是掌握生与死!七个属性大陆并不稀奇,可是我横扫无敌!好吧!到底我要怎么办,大家边看边说吧!更多精彩请看九子拙作,希望支持的朋友都投下推荐票,你们是我写作的最大动力!谢谢。作为新手也迫切希望大家的支持,如果你有任何的建议,请给我评论。谢谢
  • 办公室里的美人心计

    办公室里的美人心计

    能在同一岗位坚守五年的并不多见,而技术部就有两个,一个是主管邓涛,另一个就是颜如玉。主管当然不便总是随便更换,但是颜如玉就有些不同了,她自己说是因为胸无大志,不喜跳来跳去的,但是也不排除她是为了……
  • 预言

    预言

    李东文, 70后。1999年开始学习写作,以小说及情感专栏为主,曾在《天涯》《长城》《十月》《西湖》《长江文艺》等杂志发表小说,作品多次被《小说选刊》《中篇小说选刊》《读者》等转载。
  • 海贼之超神天赋

    海贼之超神天赋

    穿越到海贼世界,罗德得到可以抽取天赋能力的神器知识之书。剑斩天地,掌控雷霆,行走空间,信仰之力铸造地上神国!神恩如海,神威如狱。来到这个世界,就注定无敌于世。
  • 战苍穹

    战苍穹

    作为天命之人的他,被天道所束缚,曾活几世,都是默默无闻,庸庸碌碌,早年便死去;然而当他这一世来到一个神奇的世界,他的路开始越走越远,且看主角如何一步一步踏上苍穹之颠,如何把束缚他的天道给踩在脚下!
  • 小奶狗同桌

    小奶狗同桌

    十年前,林小天做梦也想不到自己的同桌曾是那6岁睡觉还尿床的尿床专家李嘉豪;十年后,她更想不到她会喜欢上他。“嘉豪,你为什么会喜欢我?虽然我长的漂亮,但你长的也不丑啊!”一根修长的手指弹在她的额头上“因为你知道我小时候的秘密,如果你敢说出去,我便可以在之前就封住你的嘴。”李嘉豪若有所思,一阵恶寒从林小天的背后默默升起...因为一些问题所以改了书名,但是封面没改,将就着看看吧(??????ω?????`)迎风泪流