t out; but it was to no purpose, for
his feet stuck in the mud, or slipped off from the bank; his fine
waistcoat was dirtied all over, his white stockings covered with mire,
his breeches filled with puddle water; and, to add to his distress, he
first lost one shoe and then the other--his laced hat tumbled off from
his head and was completely spoiled. In this distress he must probably
have remained a considerable time, had not the little ragged boy taken
pity on him and helped him out. Tommy was so vexed and ashamed that he
could not say a word, but ran home in such a plight that Mr Barlow, who
happened to meet him, was afraid he had been considerably hurt; but,
when he heard the accident which had happened, he could not help
smiling, and he advised Tommy to be more careful for the future how he
attempted to thrash little ragged boys.

The next day Mr Barlow desired Harry, when they were all together in the
arbour, to read the following story of

"ANDROCLES AND THE LION."

"There was a certain slave named Androcles, who was so ill treated by
his master that his life became insupportable. Finding no remedy for
what he suffered, he at length said to himself: 'It is better to die
than to continue to live in such hardships and misery as I am obliged to
suffer. I am determined, therefore, to run away from my master. If I am
taken again, I know that I shall be punished with a cruel death; but it
is better to die at once, than to live in misery. If I escape, I must
betake myself to deserts and woods, inhabited only by beasts; but they
cannot use me more cruelly than I have been used by my fellow-creatures;
therefore, I will rather trust myself with them, than continue to be a
miserable slave.'

"Having formed this resolution, he took an opportunity of leaving his
master's house, and hid himself in a thick forest, which was at some
miles' distance from the city. But here the unhappy man found that he
had only escaped from one kind of misery to experience another. He
wandered about all day through a vast and trackless wood, where his
flesh was continually torn by thorns and brambles; he grew hungry, but
could find no food in this dreary solitude! At length he was ready to
die with fatigue, and lay down in despair in a large cavern which he
found by accident."

"Poor man!" said Harry, whose little heart could scarcely contain itself
at this mournful recital, "I wish I could have met with him; I would
have given him all my