I sat down and began reading ‘Treasure Island’ all over again.  I skipped a lot because I had only just lately read it, and pretty soon I was reading about in the middle of it, where they start off in the ship.  That’s the part I like best.  All of a sudden I couldn’t see the reading very good and I noticed there was a stain on the page.

Here’s where I wish that I knew all about writing books like a regular grown up author, because I have to explain something to you and, cracky, I wish you could see that book, because then it would be easier.  First, I didn’t think anything about it at all, only I noticed that the stain was on the left hand page.  Then, all of a sudden I noticed something about that stain that got me all excited.  It was in the shape of a ring, kind of.

Right away I knew what it meant.  I picked up one of my oar-locks and laid it on the stain and it just covered it.  So I saw I had damaged the book when I had it before.  That’s one thing you’re not supposed to do—­damage books out of the library.  If you keep a book till its overdue, that isn’t so bad, because then you just pay a fine.  Connie says that’s being a good bookkeeper.

But to damage a book—­g—­o—­o—­d night!

CHAPTER XXVII

THE GENTLE BREEZE

I was just thinking how funny it was that Westy got this very same book that I had, but maybe it wasn’t so funny, because that was what put it into his head to get it—­seeing it in my tent.  Anyway, I was glad it came back to me, because now I saw what I had done and I made up my mind that I’d buy a new book for the library.

Then I was thinking how I’d have to tell Westy about it, and, oh, I don’t know, I just didn’t know how to go and speak to him.  I wasn’t mad at him, but anyway, I felt as if I didn’t want to see him—­yet.  Anyway, I didn’t have any money yet and books like that cost a lot.

All of a sudden I heard Don start barking and then he stopped.  So I knew somebody was coming that he knew.  Then I heard somebody say, “You’re always suspicious, ain’t you,” and oh, I felt awful funny, because I knew it was Westy.  It seemed as if he might be saying that to me, but I knew he was saying it to Don—­just kind of jollying him.  Maybe you think you can’t jolly a dog but you can.  You can Don, anyway.

I didn’t know what I would say to him, because I thought probably he’d come to give me my two dollars and say he was sorry and must have been crazy or in a hurry.  Jiminy, any excuse would be good enough for me, as long as he told me straight out about it, like he did in the ditch.  And maybe things would get to be all right after a while.  But I couldn’t understand how he could come up the lawn whistling and jollying Don and feeling so good.  I don’t mean because he was hurt, because I knew that wasn’t so bad, but I didn’t set how he could be feeling so happy.

Pretty soon he came in and Don was jumping up all around him and wagging his tail.  “I’m glad you’re well enough to come out,” I said.