And the Big Half Moon is such a place for gulls -- there are hundreds of them here . One day there was a grand wind for kite-flying , and Claude and I were having a splendid time . We used our smaller kites for signalling , and when we got tired of that Claude sent me to the house for the big one . I 'm sure I do n't know how it happened , but when I was coming back over the rocks I tripped and fell , and my elbow went clear through that lovely kite . You would never have believed that one small elbow could make such a big hole . Claude said it was just like a girl to fall and stick her elbow through a kite , but I do n't see why it should be any more like a girl than a boy . Do you ? We had to hurry to fix the kite if we wanted to send it up before the wind fell , so we rushed into the lighthouse to get some paper . We knew there was no more red paper , and the looks of the kite were spoiled , anyhow , so we just took the first thing that came handy -- an old letter that was lying on the bookcase in the sitting-room . I suppose we should n't have taken it , although , as matters turned out , it was the best thing we could have done ; but Father was away to the mainland to buy things , and we never thought it could make any difference about an old yellow letter . It was one Father had taken from a drawer in the bookcase which he had cleaned out the night before . We patched the kite up with the letter , a sheet on each side , and dried it by the fire . Then we started out , and up went the kite like a bird . The wind was glorious , and it soared and strained like something alive . All at once -- snap ! And there was Claude , standing with a bit of cord in his hand , looking as foolish as a flatfish , and our kite sailing along at a fearful rate of speed over to the mainland . I might have said to Claude , So like a boy ! but I did n't . Instead , I sympathized with him , and pointed out that it really did n't matter because I had spoiled it by jabbing my elbow through it . By this time the kite was out of sight , and we never expected to see or hear of it again .
* * * * * A month later a XXXXX came to the Big Half Moon for Father .
bookcase boy girl hundreds letter rocks sheet something time wind