Last August we were on vacation at Diana’s Baths, a place famous for waterfalls.

Sitting on the rocks with my husband, I watched some parents ______ guarding their kids away from the rocks edges. I felt glad that our 8-year-old son Wyatt could ______ himself. Don’t get me wrong: I still felt ______ as I saw my boy jump between the rocks. “No running,” I said from time to time. “Stay away from the edges.” But I soon ______, and we were all having fun in the water.

______, I saw Wyatt sit down between two rocks in the running water. I shouted at him to get out. He shouted back something and then he ______ over the edge.

“Somebody help my son!” I ______, over and over. But I only heard a woman scream. “That ______ just went over the waterfall!” she shouted at her husband. “We are leaving!” They walked away, not even looking back to see whether our child was OK.

By the time ______ climbed down to the rocks below, my husband had pulled Wyatt out of the water with the help of a young woman. She was ______ first aid. “I’m Lisa, a nurse. I’m not leaving you.” She looked at me ______, as if she were trying to take every bit of energy, ______ and strength(力量) in her body and pass it on to me. I held on to that energy like a rope that could pull us to ______.

Wyatt was taken to the hospital immediately. ______ we spent a sleepless night there, we were told Wyatt was going to be OK.

Meeting Lisa has reminded(提醒) me how we need ______ from people we don’t know. I know we are two strangers who are less strange.

After Anne was promised to spend the night in her best friend’s house, she was really excited.

“Diana, let’s run and see who’ll get to the bed first.”

Soon, the two little girls flew through the guest-room door and jumped on to the bed. Then—something—moved ______ them, and a shout followed: “Ooh, ouch!”

Anne and Diana got off the bed and rushed out of the room.

“Oh, who was it?” asked Anne with great _______.

“It was my father’s sister, Josephine,” said Diana. “Oh, Anne, she will be angry. We were expecting her for a visit, but not so soon.”

Anne went home worriedly after breakfast the next day. She didn’t _______ that until Mrs Lynde, her neighbor, called for her.

“So you and Diana nearly frightened Miss Josephine Barry to death last night?” said Mrs. Lynde. “Miss Barry is ______. She had promised to pay for Diana’s music lessons, but now she decided to do ______ at all” Anne hurried to meet Diana at the kitchen door. “It was my fault! I’m going to tell your ______.”

Diana stared. “She’ll eat you alive!” “But I’ve got to do it, Diana.” insisted Anne.

Anne walked ______ up to the sitting-room door and knocked. A sharp “Come in” followed.

Miss Barry, thin, strict, and difficult, was sitting by the fire.

“Who are you?” asked Miss Barry.

“I’m Anne of Green Gables,” said Anne, “and I’ve come to confess.”

“Confess ______?”

“I suggested racing to see who would get into the bed first. It’s all ______ fault about jumping on you. So you must see it is ______ to punish Diana.”

“Diana did her share of the ______!”

“But we were only in fun,” replied Anne, “anyway, please forgive Diana and let her ______ her music lessons. If you must be angry with anyone, be angry with me.”

The old lady’s eyes twinkled with interest, ______ she still said seriously, “No excuse. You don’t know what it is to be awakened by two girls jumping on you!”

“I don’t know, but I can imagine,” said Anne eagerly. “Please put yourself in our ______. We didn’t know there was anybody in that bed and you nearly scared us to death. And then we couldn’t sleep in the guestroom after being promised.”

All the storm had ______ by this time. Miss Barry actually laughed.