il he
had delivered his freight of boots and shoes; and feeling that the
remainder of the time was conscientiously his own, he spent it,
without compunction, in the contemplation of the art he so much loved.

CHAPTER VI.

A TIME OF TRIAL.

A time of trial was approaching, a trial that was to decide whether
the good seed sown by the pious parents had taken root in good soil,
and was able to endure the ordeal of strong temptation.

Jem Taylor, the only one who ever showed poor Will any kindness,
knowing of his great love for painting,--for to him only had he shown
his little charcoal sketches--had no regard for truth, and, on account
of his naturally kind and liberal disposition, was only the more
dangerous as a companion for our hitherto differently trained hero.
Seeing him one day returning exhausted and out of breath, his hands
trembling so that he could scarcely hold his work, he began to
administer the palatable poison which every human heart is only too
ready to receive. "I tell you, Bill," said he, "you are the biggest
blockhead I ever saw. If you like to look at the pictures, stand at
the windows as long as you please, and do not run yourself to death.
Just look at the other shoemakers' boys; they hang their string of
boots and shoes over their shoulders, and go whistling and singing
along the streets quite at their ease, playing marbles at the corners
for pennies with the newspaper boys;--they know how to lie it out so
as to escape beating, and have always some coppers in their pockets.
When old Walters rates you for staying, cannot you say that Mr.
So-and-So made you wait so long before he would give you the money; or
that Mrs. Somebody was not at home, and the cook told you to stay, for
she would be back in a minute, and you could not be paid until they
were tried on?"

Will was startled. He let the shoe he was mending fall from his hands,
and gazed with terror and astonishment on his reckless companion.

"Why, that would be--lying!" said he slowly and in a low voice, as if
he dreaded to utter the hateful word.

"To be sure it is lying, and nothing else," answered Jem, laughing;
"everybody lies, cannot you do so too?"

The blood mounted to the temples of the indignant boy, spreading its
glow over his fair forehead, and causing his usually gentle eyes to
flush with righteous anger.

"I a liar! I tell a lie?" he cried. "No! not to escape a beating every
day will I tell a falsehood!"

"And wh