1. "It's mine," said Fred, showing a white handled
pocketknife, with every blade perfect and shining. "Just what
I've always

THIRD READER. 93
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 do n't," was the quick response. "It is n't
Mr. Raymond's," 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

94 ECLECTIC SERIES.
not belong to him; and Tom's 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, "did n't you say you
thought you knew who owned that knife I found?"
8. "Yes, I did; it looked like Doctor Perry's." And Tom ran
off to his play, without giving the knife another thought.
9. Dr. Perry's! Why, Fred would have time to go to the
doctor's office before recess closed: so he started in haste,