s of which were
packed away in his cupboard.

The temptation was too great. First, there was his love of sweet things;
then his long-accustomed habit of never denying himself anything he
wanted, if he could get it by fair means or foul. And his lessons in
honour had been learnt such a little time that the disgrace and wrong of
stealing scarcely troubled him. Finally, he would be doing his enemy an
injury, and the thought of revenge was sweet to him.

He had cut some rich plum-cake, and was eagerly devouring it, when
Howard came suddenly into the room and caught him in the act.

'You young rascal!' he cried, catching hold of the younger boy and
tweaking his ear so unmercifully that he cried out with pain. 'I shall
just make you pay for this.'

At the same moment Macdonald appeared in the doorway.

'What's the row?' he asked.

'Why, your precious friend is the row,' Howard said. 'I hope you are
proud of him--the little thief! I will leave you to enjoy one another's
company,' and he turned away, not sorry to have such a story to tell the
other boys.

'Now you see what you have done!' Macdonald said to the culprit, who was
hanging his head, remorse having overtaken him. 'How can you hope to
keep your friends if you bring disgrace on them?'

'I didn't think,' murmured the unhappy boy. 'Oh, yes, I see now! Of
course, you can never speak again to a boy who is a thief. It doesn't
matter. I don't care what becomes of me now,' and he turned miserably
away.

There was such a forlorn look about him that Macdonald was touched in
spite of his anger. There flashed into his mind his mother's words, and
also those others from an even Higher Authority--'until seventy times
seven.'

'Hold hard, Andrews,' he said. 'I will give you one more chance.'

Then the boy broke down and promised he would never forget his friend's
kindness, but would fight hard to win the victory over his faults.

And although he did not succeed without some more falls, he did, to the
best of his ability, keep his word, and in the end took an honourable
place in the school.

[Illustration: "'You young rascal!'"]

[Illustration: Andree's Departure for the North Pole.]

CRUISERS IN THE CLOUDS.

IX.--HERR ANDREE AND HIS BALLOON.

On the 7th June, 1896, the steam-ship _Virgo_ sailed from the port of
Gothenburg in Sweden with a very distinguished company on board. Rising
young engineers, students of the Stockholm Polytechnic, and gentlemen of