McGuffey Third Reader, Lesson XXXVI (Finding The Owner)

1. "It's 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 don't," was the quick response. "It isn'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 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, "didn'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, and found the old gentlemen getting ready to visit a patient. "Is this yours?" cried Fred, in a 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; I've got to run."
12. "Hold on !" said the doctor. "I've got a new one, and you are quite welcome to this."
13. "Am I ? May I ? Oh ! thank you !" And with what a different feeling he kept it from that which he had experienced for a week !