done wrong, that he ought to have been at school, and that
he should grieve his kind parents when they knew what he was now doing.
The thought of this would come into his mind, and kept him from being
happy. As for Tom Jones, he seemed merry enough, though he not only knew
that he was doing wrong himself, but that he had led John into mischief.
He tried to forget this, and laughed and shouted with all his might; but
it was in vain, and he had bitter feelings at the bottom of his heart
all the time.

[Illustration: AFFECTION]

They went on rambling till they had got more than a mile into the wood.
The stream here was wide and deep. On one side of it there grew an old
willow, and in one of the branches of this, they saw a wren's nest. As
Tom was the stronger boy of the two, it was agreed that he should help
John up to the branch, so that he might reach the nest. John got upon
the branch, and he had put out his hand to take hold of the nest, when
the branch broke off, and down he fell into the water. Tom laughed at
this, for he knew that the stream was not deep enough to drown him: but
Carlo rushed in and dragged his master by the clothes towards the bank.
John scrambled out, but he was covered with mud. Tom helped him to take
off his clothes, and clean off the mud and dry them; but with all they
could do, John was still in a sad mess, and as it was now late in the
day, he turned to go home with a heavy heart.

When he reached the cottage, he found his father and mother in great
alarm, as they could not think what had become of him. When they found
out what had taken place, their alarm was changed into grief, on account
of the son whom they loved so much, having done wrong. John himself
cried a great deal, and said that he was more vexed because he had
caused them grief, than he should have been, if they had scolded and
whipped him. His mother told him that she left it to his own heart to
scold him, and that he should go to his bed-room and pray to God on his
knees to forgive him, as she had taught him to pray.

John did as she bade him, and he prayed to God with all his heart.
He then went to sleep with a quiet mind; and when he awoke the next
morning, he prayed again that God would give him strength to do his
duty, and to stand firm when he should be tempted again as he had been
by Tom Jones. He then read a chapter in the Bible to his mother, and
went to school. His master kept him in, and gave him only a piece of
b