As Tuvia stood on the deck of the new ship taking him toward home, he felt something in his pocket. He took it out and stared at it in shock. 

Oh no! This must be the map to the Lost Island! Tuvia felt a shiver of apprehension run down his spine. It looked important, so I thought I should save it in case the flooding waters damaged it. Now the captain will never find the Lost Island, and it’s all my fault!

“You look like something’s bothering you.” The captain of the new ship walked up to Tuvia. “Seasick already?”

“No, it’s not that. I-I’ve just realized that I have something in my possession which belongs to the captain of the other ship I was on. He saved my life twice, and I must give it back to him.”

“And how do you plan on doing that?”

“We’re not so far from the island. Perhaps he’s still docked there. If we turn back now, we ca—”

“Turn back? Oh no! There’s no turning back now. I have a schedule, you know? I can’t just abandon my plans because you want to return a lost item. Whatever it is you’ve taken, just keep it. That’s the way it is out in these rough seas. Every man for himself. Survival of the fittest, right? Just like the sea creatures.”

“No! I’m no thief, and I won’t compare myself to the animal kingdom. The captain needs this very badly, and I’ve taken it without asking. Please, it won’t cost so much time. Just turn the ship around.”

“You must be crazy to even think I would consider listening to you.”

“Here, take the necklace with coins I carry around my neck. Take the whole thing!”

“Keep your necklace, I’m not turning around.”

“Then give me a raft. I’ll paddle back to the island myself.”

“Fine. Give me the necklace — the whole thing — and you can have a raft.”

(Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr., Issue 803)