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 enchanted.""That won't save you from Ugu the Shoemaker,"declared the White Rabbit and it scurried away before the boy could ask any more questions.
"Rabbits and birds," he thought, "are timid creatures and seem afraid of this shoemaker -- whoever he may be.
If there was another peach half as good as that other, I'd eat it in spite of a dozen enchantments or a hundred shoemakers!"Just then Scraps came dancing along and saw him sitting at the foot of the tree.
"Oh, here you are!" she said. "Up to your old tricks, eh? Don't you know it's impolite to get lost and keep everybody waiting for you? Come along, and I'll lead you back to Dorothy and the others."Button-Bright rose slowly to accompany her.
"That wasn't much of a loss," he said cheerfully. "Ihaven't been gone half a day, so there's no harm done."Dorothy, however, when the boy rejoined the party, gave him a good scolding.
"When we're doing such an important thing as searching for Ozma," said she, "it's naughty for you to wander away, and keep us from getting on. S'pose she's a pris'ner -- in a dungeon cell! -- do you want to keep our dear Ozma there any longer than we can help?""If she's in a dungeon cell, how are you going to get her out?" inquired the boy.
"Never you mind; we'll leave that to the Wizard; he's sure to find a way."The Wizard said nothing, for he realized that without his magic tools he could do no more than any other person. But there was no use reminding his companions of that fact; it might discourage them.
"The important thing just now," he remarked, "is to find Ozma; and, as our party is again happily reunited, I propose we move on."As they came to the edge of the Great Orchard the sun was setting and they knew it would soon be dark. So it was decided to camp under the trees, as another broad plain was before them. The Wizard spread the blankets on a bed of soft leaves and presently all of them except Scraps and the Sawhorse were fast asleep. Toto snuggled close to his friend the Lion, and the Woozy snored so loudly that the Patchwork Girl covered his square head with her apron to deaden the sound.
