Dwight did it. If he had been
saying _moo_ accidentally, without thinking of troubling Caleb, that
would have been thoughtlessness; but it was not so. And what makes me
most unhappy about this," continued Madam Rachel, putting her hand
gently on Dwight's head, "is that my dear Dwight has a heart capable
under some circumstances, of taking pleasure in the sufferings of a
helpless little child."

David and Dwight were both silent, though they saw clearly that what
their mother said was true.

"And yet, perhaps, you think it is a very little thing after all," she
continued, "just _moo-ing_ at Caleb a little. The pain it gave him was
soon over. Just sending him down cellar to get apples, made him forget
it in a moment; so that you see it is not the mischief that is done, in
this case, but the _spirit of mind_ in you, that it shews. It is a
little thing, I know; but then it is a little symptom of a very bad
disease. It is very hard to cure."

"Well, mother," said Dwight, looking up, and speaking very positively,
"I am _determined_ not to trouble Caleb any more."

"Yes, but I am afraid your _determinations_ won't reach the difficulty.
As long as the spirit of mind remains, so that you are _capable_ of
taking pleasure in the sufferings of another, your determinations not to
_indulge_ the bad spirit, will not do much good. You will forget them
all, when the temptation comes. Don't you remember how often I have
talked with you about this, and how often you have promised not to do
it, before?"

"Why, yes, mother," said Dwight, despondingly.

"So, you see determinations will not do much good. As long as your heart
is malicious, the malice will come out in spite of all your
determinations."

Just at this moment Caleb came in, bringing his plate of apples, with an
air of great importance and satisfaction. He had nearly forgotten his
troubles. Soon after this, dinner was brought in, and Madam Rachel said
no more to the boys about malice. After dinner, they went out again to
play.

CHAPTER III.

BUILDING THE MOLE.

Caleb sat down upon the step of the door, eating a piece of bread, while
Dwight and David returned to their work of building the mole. They got
the wheelbarrow, and loaded it with stones.

Caleb sat a few minutes more at the door, and then he went into the
house, and got his little rocking chair, and brought it out under the
elm, and sat down there, looking towards the boys, who were at work near
th