bout a trifle."

The mine boss took an early opportunity to examine the plans of the old
workings, and soon discovered the slight difference between them and
Derrick's tracing that they had followed in their recent expedition.
Summoning the boy, he pointed it out, and asked him whether he had made
a mistake in copying the plan, or had purposely made the alteration that
had led to such serious consequences.

Derrick confessed that he had added a little to one line of the plan,
because he thought the line was intended to go that way, and when he
drew it so it seemed to make everything come out all right.

"Well," said Mr. Jones, "the result shows that instead of making
everything come out all right, you made it come all wrong. Now, Derrick,
I want this to be a lesson that you will remember all your life. By
making that one little bit of a change in a single line you placed
yourself and me in great peril. In consequence of the situation to which
it led one man has lost his life, and several others came very near
doing so. You thought you knew better than your father who drew that
plan, and in your ignorance undertook to improve upon his work.

"I won't say that good may not come out of all this, for I believe that
with the loss of their leader the society of Mollies is broken up, in
this colliery at least, for some time to come, but that does not make
your fault any the less.

"Remember, my boy," he added, somewhat more gently, as he saw great
tears rolling down the lad's cheeks, "that the little things of this
life lead to and make up its great events, and it is only by paying the
closest attention to them that we can ever hope to achieve good
results."

This was all that was ever said to Derrick upon this subject, but it was
enough, and he will never forget it. When he left the presence of the
mine boss he was overwhelmed with shame, and was angry to think that
what he considered so trifling a thing as to be unworthy of mention
should be treated so seriously. For an hour he walked alone through the
woods back of the village, and gave himself up to bitter thoughts.
Gradually he began to realize that every word the mine boss had said was
true, and to see what he had done in its proper light. He thought of all
the kindness Mr. Jones had shown him, and the confidence reposed in him.
Finally he broke out with, "I have been a conceited fool, and now I know
it. If I ever catch Derrick Sterling getting into a scrape of thi