"'Tis fine! Oh, I've been wishin' and wishin' for books t' look at and
read!" exclaimed Margaret.

Doctor Joe had taught them all to read and write in the years he had
been with them, an accomplishment that not every boy and girl on The
Labrador possessed, for there were no schools there.

"There are some books to study and some to read. There are story books
and books about birds and flowers and animals. And here is something
that I know will please the boys," said Doctor Joe, drawing from the
box six paper-bound volumes. "There's an interesting story attached to
these books that I must tell you before you look at them, and then
we'll go through them together.

"One day I was walking in a park in New York.

"Suddenly I heard a crashing noise, and I hurried in the direction in
which I heard the noise, and turning a corner saw a motor-car lying on
its side. Some boys wearing khaki-coloured uniforms, very much like
soldiers' uniforms, had already reached the wreck, and before I came
up with them had rescued two injured men. I never saw more efficient
or prompt service than those boys were giving the poor men, who were
both badly hurt. They had the men stretched out upon the grass. One
had a severed artery in his arm, where the arm had been cut upon the
broken glass wind shield. The man's blood was pouring in great spurts
through the wound, but the boys were already adjusting the tourniquet,
for which they used a handkerchief, and in a minute they had the
bleeding stopped, as well as I could have done it. I've no doubt they
saved the man's life, for without prompt help he'd have bled to death