“Let me go! Let me go!” screamed Kalle. But I had no idea of doing that until I had got the tortoise from him.
The tortoise was dead; I saw that instantly. The little black eyes usually so lively were half-shut and dim.
“Oh, you cruel Kalle!” I said. “You put the poor thing in the stone wall and let it starve to death. You’d better look out for Madam Knoll. You’ll catch it from her!”
Kalle only laughed and dug in the dirt with a stick.
I took the tortoise in my apron and ran full gallop to Madam Knoll’s. I forgot my schoolbooks altogether and left them in their strap on Peter Bertzen’s gravestone.
“Well?” said Madam Knoll as usual, looking over her spectacles as soon as I appeared at the door.
I was so out of breath that I couldn’t speak; I just showed her what I had in my apron.
Madam Knoll struck her hands together, but when she saw that the tortoise was dead, she began to cry.
“It was Kalle who took it,” said I.
“Kalle!” shouted Madam Knoll. “Give me the broom!” she shouted even louder.