k him to pardon the wicked wish that he had
felt, and the wicked thing that he had done, for the sake of Jesus
Christ his Son.

THE GREY RABBIT.

"Look at papa," said Frank to little George, one day, as he stood at the
window of their play-room up stairs. "I cannot think what he is going to
do with that wooden box. I saw John lift it out of the stable just now,
and put it into that corner. What have they got in the box? See, papa
stoops down to look inside. What can it be, I wonder?"

[Illustration]

George came when he was called, and looked out of the window as well as
he could; but, being rather short, he had to go back for a stool to
mount upon before he could see into the yard. When this was done, he saw
all three quite plain,--his papa, and old John, and the large wooden
box, with a black handle on the lid.

"I know, Frank," said George, with a wise look. "They are going to put
away some flower-seeds in the box. I heard John tell papa that he had
saved a great many seeds this year; and papa said they must be put away
in a dry place till spring."

"Oh! you silly child," said Frank, who was six years old, and of course
knew a great deal more than little George, who was only four. "Do you
think they would want such a large box, just to hold a few flower-seeds?
No, no; it is something that papa wants to hide. I saw him look round,
as much as to say, I do not wish to be seen. Should not you like to know
what it is?"

"Yes, I should like to know," said little George; "but I cannot see, the
box is so far off."

"Wait a little while, and we will have a peep, when papa and John are
gone away." So said Frank, who always liked to pry into every thing. "We
will creep softly down stairs, and into the yard, and then lift up the
lid of the box. Papa will be in the house, and John will be in the
stable; so nobody will know."

The little boys stayed to watch at the window; and very soon, as Frank
had said, their papa came into the house, and John went to his work in
the stable, and so the box was left alone. Puss, indeed, walked slowly
across the yard, and gave a sniff at the key-hole, as if she too wanted
to see what there was inside; and then she lay down in the sunshine
close by, with her head on her fore-paws: but Frank and George both knew
that puss could tell no tales, and so they did not mind her at all. Hand
in hand they crept down stairs. All was quiet in the house. Their papa
was in his study, and the