“Oh no,” said Kitten, “I’ve lost my favorite ball!”

“Oh my,” said Puppy. “Do you remember where you had it last? When I lose my toys, I can always find them again by going to where I saw them last.”

“That’s a good idea, Puppy,” said Kitten, “I took it to Birdie’s house in the trees yesterday. It must be there.”

Kitten and Puppy went to Birdie’s house in the trees.

“Good morning, Birdie,” said Kitten and Puppy.

“Good morning, Kitten and Puppy,” said Birdie, “What brings you here today?”

“Kitten has lost her favorite ball,” said Puppy.

“Have you seen it here?” asked Kitten.

“Alas,” said Birdie, “I have. You left it here yesterday, Kitten. I tried to fly to your house to bring it to you, but it began to rain very hard and I dropped it.”

“Oh,” said Kitten, “I guess it’s gone then.”

Kitten began to cry, but Puppy comforted her.

“Don’t feel bad,” he said, “We can still find your favorite ball.”

“But how?” asked Kitten. “Birdie dropped it from high in the sky.”

“We can find it by asking him where he dropped it,” said Puppy, “Then we can go to where it fell and get it for you.”

“Ah, an excellent idea, Puppy,” said Birdie, “Now that you mention it, I think I may have dropped it near Fishie’s great big goldfish bowl.”

“Then let us go to Fishie’s house together,” said Puppy.

Kitten, Puppy, and Birdie all went to Fishie’s great big goldfish bowl. Fishie saw them coming and he poked his head up out of the water to say hello.

“Hello, Kitten, Puppy, and Birdie,” said Fishie.

“Hello, Fishie,” said Kitten, Puppy, and Birdie.

“What brings you here today?” asked Fishie.

“Fishie, I’ve lost my favorite ball. Puppy told me that I should look for it where I saw it last, so we went to Birdie’s house in the trees. Then Birdie told me that he tried to bring it back to me, but it rained and he dropped it near your house, and Puppy told me that we should look for it near your house,” said Kitten. “Have you seen my favorite ball, Fishie?”

“Why yes, I have,” said Fishie, “I was hoping you would come visit me and find it. I saw it fall from the sky, and it landed right over there.”

Fishie pointed with his fin at a patch of bright green grass just outside of his great big goldfish bowl, but there was nothing there!

“Oh my,” said Fishie, “It must have rolled away while I was sleeping last night. I’m sorry Kitten, but I don’t know where your ball has gone.”

Kitten began to cry.

“There, there, Kitten,” said Birdie, “Your favorite ball must have rolled into the woods around Fishie’s great big goldfish bowl. It can’t have gone far, so we’ll find it yet!”

Then Birdie noticed, to his surprise, that Puppy was crying too.

“Why, but Puppy,” he said, “why ever should you be crying?”

“He must feel terribly sad for his friend Kitten and her terrible predicament,” said Fishie.

“I do feel terribly sad,” said Puppy, “And I will tell you why. I was playing in the woods this morning and I saw a ball. I knew it was Kitten’s favorite ball, but I took it anyway because it was such a very nice ball. Here it is.”

Puppy gave Kitten her favorite ball.

“Oh, Kitten,” said Puppy, “Can you ever forgive me?”

Kitten stopped crying. Then she began to laugh.

“Oh, you silly Puppy,” said Kitten, “Of course I forgive you. I’m just very glad to have my favorite ball back!”