wned cakes for him as he sat down to tea. Charlie felt unhappy
and repentant as he thought how ill he deserved all their care.

His father's cough was very troublesome; it was a loud, hollow,
consumptive cough, most painful to hear, and still more painful to
suffer; but not a word of complaint escaped John Heedman's lips.
Charlie's unhappiness and repentance increased as he sat listening to
it, and heard his father say, in answer to a remark made by Mrs.
Heedman, "Yes, I think the cold air has seized my chest; that makes the
cough worse just now."

Tea was out of the question with Charlie, and the little crisp cake lay
untouched. "If they would only scold me, or punish me, or do something
to me," he thought, "I should feel better."

"How is it you are not getting on with your tea?" said Mrs. Heedman,
looking at his plate.

Charlie immediately laid his head on the table, regardless of tea-things
and everything else, and burst into a flood of tears. "Oh, mother," he
sobbed out, "I have been such a bad, wicked fellow to-day. Why don't you
and father scold me or do something to me? you are far too kind; it
makes me hate myself. I wish somebody would take away my new cricket
bat, or steal Jumper, I do." There was a great sobbing after this,
partly, we think, at the mere thought of the terrible nature of the
punishment his imagination had suggested.

He went on--"I'm sure I meant to come straight home, but Tom Brown took
and persuaded me to go and see his ship launched, and I only meant to
stay five minutes, and I thought there was time enough, and it seemed as
if the clock struck five directly. I'm so sorry--oh dear!" and down went
his head on the table again.

"I'm very sorry too," said John Heedman, seriously--"very sorry. I am
afraid when you were making your good resolutions about coming straight
home, you forgot that you might be tempted to break them, and did not
ask for His help who alone can give you strength to resist temptation
and choose duty before pleasure. Don't you remember the words, 'My son,
if sinners entice thee, consent thou not,'and the exhortation to pray
lest ye enter into temptation? Wipe away your tears now, and get some
tea; we will talk about it afterwards."

CHAPTER V.

TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF.

Charlie's heart felt a little lighter for the explanation. When the
tea-things were cleared away, and a nice little bright fire made up--for
it was a chilly evening--Mrs. Heedman sat dow