Sample
from
O. Henry Stories
Raintree English Readers
Grade 6
simplified and abridged by
Rosemary Border
An unexpected visitor
'It was about ten o'clock and we had just finished a very successful day. I was in the tent with the candle, calculating our profits. John Tom, still wearing his feathers and war-paint, was sitting by the camp fire cooking our supper. Binkly was feeding the horses.
'Suddenly there was a small, sharp bang from the bushes, and John Tom gave a little cry of surprise.
'"I've been shot!" he said angrily and, sure enough, a tiny bullet had hit him in the shoulder. Then John Tom dived into the bushes and came out holding a boy of about nine or ten years of age, wearing a very smart coat and trousers and holding a gun about as big as a fountain pen.
'"Here, papoose," said John Tom, "what are you trying to do with that gun? You might hit somebody in the eye. Jeff," he called to me, "come out and look after the supper, while I have a few words with this papoose."
'"Cowardly redskin. You can't scalp me! If you touch one hair of my head, the brave American soldiers will attack you," said the boy, who had clearly been reading too many adventure stories. Then he added, "And if you don't let me go I'll tell my mother."
More of this story in
O. Henry Stories
simplified and abridged by
Rosemary Border
Raintree English Readers
Grade 6
ISBN 967 65 3806 X
This text is copyright Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T) 1997.
If you can read this sample easily, you can enjoy any Raintree English Reader.
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