Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Author:Gertrude Chandler Warner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Published: 2010-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

But Jessie and Henry were not watching Joe. They were watching Violet. She stood without moving all the time Joe was playing.

Joe was watching Violet, too. He was sure she could learn to play well, because she seemed to like the violin so much.

When the family went back to the barn at last, they were all thinking of Joe’s wonderful playing. That night, when Jessie went to sleep, it seemed to her that Joe played such a sad piece that Violet cried. But when Jessie woke up, she knew that it was real crying that she heard, for Violet was crying softly. Jessie got up at once.

“What is the matter?” she asked, falling on her knees beside Violet’s bed. “Why are you crying?”

“I-I w-want to learn to play the violin!” said Violet, starting to cry again.

“Of course you shall!” said Jessie. “I know Grandfather will buy you a violin, and Joe can teach you how to play it.”

“It’s not that,” said Violet. “You see, I want to practice, and it’s so selfish to go off and practice all by myself when I ought to be helping—”

Henry came in with the flashlight.

“Oh, my goodness!” cried Jessie. “What can I say? You talk to her, Henry!”

“I heard most of it,” said Henry. “She thinks she’s selfish to practice, when we came down here to have a good time together. Is that it?”

“That’s just it,” said Jessie.

“Now Violet, look here,” said Henry. “You couldn’t be selfish if you tried. We all want you to learn to play the violin. Most people don’t even like to practice, you know.”

Henry’s little talk with Violet made her feel better. Soon they were all talking again, and even laughing a little.

“Sh!” said Jessie. “We’d better be quiet, we don’t want to wake Benny. He would certainly howl.”

The children left Violet feeling happy again, and thinking about the little violin her grandfather would surely buy for her.

The next morning, Joe got Captain Daniel to telephone Mr. Alden. He listened to the story, and thought about his own beautiful violin carefully packed away.

But he said to Captain Daniel, “Certainly, Violet must have a violin. The only trouble is that I am too busy this morning to buy one for her.”

“Joe thinks he could pick one out,” said Captain Daniel. “His playing is just wonderful.”

“That Joe is a very interesting man,” replied Mr. Alden. “I’ll have a talk with him when I come over. Give him the money for the violin, Captain, and let him buy one if he thinks he can.”

When Joe came back to the Alden Island with the little violin, Violet was waiting for him on the dock. Joe was sure that Violet could some day be a wonderful player, so he had bought her a fine violin.

The rest of the family came flying down to see if Joe had had any luck. After they all had seen the violin, Violet shut the box.

“I don’t think it likes to be outdoors,” she said.

“I don’t think so, either,” agreed Joe.

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