a party of youngsters. Far
better would it have been for the boys had they been kept shut up within
the walls of the school-room on the finest days of the year than have
been allowed to go out with such an associate. Blackall wanted to be
considered a man, and he thought the sure way to become so was to
imitate the vices and bad habits of men. Too well do I remember the
poison he poured into the ears of his attentive and astonished hearers.
About five miles off there was a village with a few small shops in it.
One of them contained books and stationery, and cigars and snuff. It
was much patronised by Blackall, not for the former, but for the latter
articles. He thought it very manly not only to have his cigar-case, but
his snuff-box. Lemon never failed to ridicule him to the other boys for
his affectation of manliness. He did this to prevent them from
following so pernicious an example.

"See that fellow, now, making a chimney of his mouth and a dust-hole of
his nose," observed Lemon, when one day he and his party passed him,
with several of his companions, lying on the grass on a hill side, three
or four miles from the school. Blackall had a huge cigar in his mouth,
and a small boy sat near him, looking pale as death, and evidently
suffering dreadfully.

"What's the matter, Eden?" asked Lemon, kindly, as he passed him.

"Oh--oh! it's that horrid tobacco! I thought I should like it; but I'm
going to die--I know that I am. Oh dear! oh dear!" answered the little
fellow.

"I hope that you are not going to die," said Lemon; "but you will not
get well sitting there in the hot sun. Jump up, and come with us.
Bracebridge and Buttar and I will help you along. There's a stream of
clear cold water near here; a draught of that will do you much good.
Think how pleasant it will be trickling down your throat, and putting
out the fire which I know you feel burning within you."

The picture that Lemon thus wisely drew was so attractive, that the
little fellow got slowly up, and tried to walk along with him.

"Where are you going to take Eden to?" shouted Blackall, when he saw
what was occurring.

"Out of mischief," answered Lemon. "We are going to the seaside, and--
some fresh air will do him good."

"He is under my charge, and you have no business to take him away from
me," said Blackall.

Lemon had become much interested in poor little Eden, who was a
promising boy, and who he saw would be ruined if left much