say on learning that his math book had been confiscated as evidence?

They had just reached the village when a sudden gust of wind sent Pinocchio's cap sailing far down the street.

“Would you allow me,” the puppet asked the officers, “to run after my cap?”

“Very well, but hurry.”

After a few seconds the puppet had reached his cap and picked it up—but instead of putting it on his head, he stuck it between his teeth and then, looking like a bullet shot from a gun, raced toward the sea.

The officers judged from his initial velocity and rate of acceleration that it would be impossible to catch him. One of them pulled from his pocket a long, silver whistle and blew on it. Although its super-high pitch was inaudible to humans and puppets, dogs responded to it. In a moment a large police dog, one that had won first prize in all the dog races, came running up. The officers sent him after the wooden fugitive.

Chapter 24 “The Fisherman”

Pinocchio heard, close behind him, the heavy panting of the beast who was fast on his trail, and now and then even felt his hot breath on him. But luckily, by this time the shore was only a few short steps away.

As soon as he set foot on the beach, Pinocchio gave a leap and fell into the water. The dog tried to stop, but as he was running very fast, couldn't, and he, too, landed in the sea. Strange though it may seem, the dog couldn't swim. He beat the water with his paws to hold himself up, but the harder he tried, the deeper he sank. As he stuck his head out once more, his eyes were bulging and he barked out wildly, “I'm drowning! I'm drowning!”

“Then drown!” answered Pinocchio from afar, happy at his escape.

“Please help me! Save me! Oh! Oh!”

At those frenzied cries of suffering, the puppet, who, after all, had a humane spirit, was moved to compassion. He turned toward the poor animal and said to him, “If I save you, do you promise not to bother me again or run after me?”

“I promise! I promise! Only hurry, for if you wait any longer, I'll be dead and gone!”

Pinocchio hesitated still another moment. Then, remembering how his father had often told him that no one ever loses by doing a kind deed, he swam to the dog and, catching hold of his tail, dragged him to shore.

The poor dog was so weak that he couldn't stand up. He had swallowed, in spite of himself, so much water that he was as bloated as a balloon. Pinocchio, however, still not trusting the dog, jumped once