14.Finding the Owner
"It's mine," said Fred, showing a pocket knife with a shining blade (刀片). "Just what I've always wanted." And he turned it over and over with the look of satisfaction on his face.
"I guess I know who owns it," said Tom, looking at it carefully.
"I guess you don't. It isn't Mr. Raymond's," Fred replied quickly.
"I know. Mr. Raymond's is twice as large," said Tom, going on with his drawing.
Tom's doubt was taking away Fred's enjoyment. In fact, Fred was not comfortable with the knife at all, for he felt that he was having something that did not belong to him and he got worried. He even had serious thoughts of burning it, or hiding it, or giving it away; but a better plan hit him.
"Tom," said Fred, one day at break, "didn't you say that you knew who owned the knife?" "Yes, I did. It looked like Doctor Perry's," Tom ran off to play with others, without giving the knife another thought.
It was Dr. Perry's! Fred looked at his watch and realized he only had a little time, so he started quickly, 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.
"It was," said the doctor, "but I lost it the other day."
"I found it," said Fred, "and have felt like a thief ever since. Here, take it. I've got to run."
"Hold on!" said the doctor. "I've got a new one, and you are quite welcome to this."
"Am I? May I? Oh! Thank you! Now, I'm the real owner of the knife. What a different feeling!"