Lesson:

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 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; 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!