to the garden.
There was nobody up but John, who was in the stable. Henry went and
stood under the apple-tree. He looked at the apples; there was one
which he could just reach as he stood on his tip-toe. He stretched out
his hand and plucked it from the tree, and ran with it, as he thought,
out of sight behind the stable. Having eaten it in haste, he returned
to the house.

When Mr. Fairchild got up, he went into the garden and looked at the
apple-tree, and saw that one of the apples was missing; he looked round
the tree to see if it had fallen down, and he perceived the mark of a
child's foot under the tree. He came into the house in great haste,
and looking angrily, "Which of you young ones," said he, "has gathered
the apple from the young apple-tree? Last night there were two upon the
tree, and now there is only one."

The children made no answer.

"If you have, any of you, taken the apple, and will tell me the truth,
I will forgive you," said Mr. Fairchild.

"I did not take it, indeed, papa," said Lucy.

"And I did not take it," said Emily.

"I did not--indeed I did not," said Henry; but Henry looked very red
when he spoke.

"Well," said Mr. Fairchild, "I must call in John, and ask him if he can
tell who took the apple. But before John is called in, I tell you once
more, my dear children, that if any of you took the apple and will
confess it, even now I will freely forgive you."

Henry now wished to tell his father the truth; but he was ashamed to
own his wickedness, and he hoped that it would never be found out that
he was the thief.

When John came in, Mr. Fairchild said:

"John, there is one of the apples taken from the young apple-tree
opposite the parlour window."

"Sir," said John, "I did not take it, but I think I can guess which way
it went." Then John looked very hard at Henry, and Henry trembled and
shook all over. "I saw Master Henry this morning run behind the stable
with a large apple in his hand, and he stayed there till he had eaten
it, and then he came out."

"Henry," said Mr. Fairchild, "is this true? Are you a thief--and a
liar, too?" And Mr. Fairchild's voice was very terrible when he spoke.

Then Henry fell down upon his knees and confessed his wickedness.

"Go from my sight, bad boy!" said Mr. Fairchild; "if you had told the
truth at first, I should have forgiven you, but now I will not forgive
you."

Then Mr. Fairchild ordered John to take Henry, and lock him up in a
little