Having trouble with the crochet pattern for Bert the Elephant

Can someone please help me? I’m having trouble with Bert’s pattern.
For example, the head: the first two rounds go without a problem. Round 1: 2 ch, 6 sc in the second ch. = (6 sts)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st = (12).
Here’s where it gets tricky starting on Round 3.
How am I supposed to understand this... Round 3: (2 sc in first st, sc in next st) 6 times (18)
                                         Round 4: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 2 sts) 6x (24)
Round 5: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts) 6x (30) etc.

I’d appreciate a reply and thank you very much in advance.
Best regards, Margit

Hi Margit,
welcome to our forum and platform.
Answering customer questions is part of the authors’ service here. Have you already contacted the author, or should I do that for you?
Is this the correct pattern?
https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/items/5453/elefant-bert-haekelanleitung

Hi Margit,

As others have already mentioned, you can contact the author directly, but I can also help you.

You increase the number of stitches by 6 in each round.

This is how I usually do it:

R3) Double every 2nd stitch x6
R4) Double every 3rd stitch x 6, etc.

  But here, it seems you double the first stitch. That means

R3) Double 1 stitch, 1 single crochet in the stitch from the previous round (6 times total, alternating)
R4) Double 1 stitch, 2 single crochets in the next 2 stitches from the previous round (6 times total, alternating)

Etc.

I hope this helps you 

Hi Margit,
Let me explain it again in different words:
Round 3: You crochet 2 single crochets into the first stitch, 1 single crochet into the next stitch, 2 single crochets into the following stitch, then 1 single crochet into the next stitch, and so on. You repeat this a total of 6 times. At the end of this round, you’ll have 18 stitches.
Round 4: Crochet 2 single crochets into the 1st stitch again, then 1 single crochet into each of the next two stitches, then repeat the whole sequence: 2 single crochets into the next stitch and 1 single crochet into each of the following 2 stitches, and so on until the end of the round. At the end of the round, you’ll have 24 sts.
In Round 5, work 2 sc into the first st and 1 sc into each of the next 3 sts; repeat this pattern until the end of the round. This will give you 30 sts at the end of the round...
Is everything clear?

Thank you so much for your help.
I started working on Bert the Elephant over the weekend... and it’s working out great