书城英文图书美国语文读本3(美国原版经典语文课本)
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第34章 FINDING THE OWNER

1."Itˊs mine," said Fred,showing a white handled pocketknife,with every blade perfect and shining. "Just what I’ve always wanted." And he turned the prize over and over with evident satisfaction.

2."I guess I know who owns it," said Tom,looking at it with a critical eye.

3."I guess you donˊt," was the quick response. "It isn’t Mr. Raymondˊs," said Fred,shooting wide of the mark.

4."I know that; Mr. Raymond’s is twice as large," observed Tom,going on with his drawing lesson.

5.Do you suppose Fred took any comfort in that knife. Not a bit of comfort did he take. He was conscious all the time of having something in his possession that did not belong to him; and Tomˊs suspicion interfered sadly with his enjoyment.

6.Finally,it became such a torment to him,that he had serious thoughts of burning it,or burying it,or giving it away; but a better plan suggested itself.

7."Tom," said he,one day at recess,"didn’t you say you thought you knew who owned that knife I found."

8."Yes,I did; it looked like Doctor Perryˊs." And Tom ran o. to his play,without giving the knife another thought.

9.Dr. Perry’s!Why,Fred would have time to go to the doctorˊs o.ce before recess closed: so he started in haste,and found the old gentleman getting ready to visit a patient. "Is this yours." cried Fred,in breathless haste,holding up the cause of a week’s anxiety.

10."It was," said the doctor; "but I lost it the other day."

11."I found it," said Fred,"and have felt like a thief ever since. Here,take it; Iˊve got to run."

12."Hold on!" said the doctor. "I’ve got a new one,and youare quite welcome to this."

13."Am I. May I. Oh!thank you!" And with what a di.erent feeling he kept it from that which he had experienced for a week!