Mr. Stafford thoughtfully took up the shoe, while the boys looked anxiously first at his face, then at Badley's. As for the latter he was fairly taken by surprise; he turned as pale as a sheet.

"You are right, Robert, I believe," said Mr. Stafford after a pause; "we judged wrongly; Badley, are not you the thief?" Badley's head dropped; he said nothing; all the boys sidled away from him, and left him standing alone, trembling and confused; by his silence he confessed his guilt; he could not deny it.

Without waiting to hear the end, away rushed Robert out of the school up the hill towards the common, as fast as young legs and a good heart could carry him. He burst almost breathless into widow Lang's cottage, and seizing Charlie by the arm as he was sitting moping by the empty fire-place with little fat Jack by his side, he gasped forth, "It's all right! come along-you're no thief -the parson knows it-never mind your clothescome along, Mrs. Lang-on with your bonnet-I'll lug little Jack, and I'll tell you all by the way."

Widow Lang, guessing that some strange turn had taken place at the school, did not wait to hear what had happened, but put on her bonnet, got Jack his hat, and set off with Charlie and Robert Swale. "Come along, Mrs. Lang: put your best leg

In this strain

forward, that's a good woman." he hurried them on, telling them the story as they went along; the widow's heart beat with joy; she was too much overcome to speak a word; her heart was full; she grasped Charlie's hands, and secretly offered a warm thanksgiving to God for the innocence of her boy, while Charlie in turns laughed and cried, and little Jack trundled along at a brisk trot, not knowing what to make of it. Directly the school was in sight, Robert set up a loud " Hurrah;" some boys near the door looked out as they caught Robert's shout; for to say the truth, they all guessed what Robert had gone for, and the moment he rushed into the room with Charlie in one hand and Jack in the other, such a loud" Hurrah" burst instinctively from all the boys at once, as made the walls of the good old school to ring.

I need not tell the rest. Badley scuffled home with downcast head, unpitied and despised. The feast went on; it was said to have been the best, the merriest feast that Alverton had ever known since Alverton had had a school. Somehow or other the day was brighter, the air was pleasanter, the games were better, the cake was sweeter, the ples more juicy, in short, the boys were happier

ap

than they had ever been before. As for Charlie,

if he could but have managed a dozen cakes they would have been his, and little Jack did certainly manage to get some huge hunches down his little throat, that made him heavier than ever to lug up the hill, and yet somehow or other he seemed to Charlie never to walk so well, and never to be so light.

Let me add that of all who were there, none had deeper joy than the rector. Grieved as he was by the gross guilt of Badley, he rejoiced to see the innocent cleared, and he rejoiced also to see friendship like Robert Swale's.

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL, OR THE SCHOOL FEAST.

THOUGHTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE
TEMPTED TO STEAL.

1. Remember that thou art always in God's presence. Though men do not see thee, God's eye watches thee in all thy ways. Say to thyself, "Thou God seest me."

2. Remember that thou despisest thy Saviour's blood, who died to free thee from the power of all sin.

3. Remember that thou wrongest a neighbour, whom for Christ's sake thou shouldest love.

4. Remember that thou art a servant of the devil whenever thou breakest the commands of God.

5. Remember that thou wilt not go unpunished, and that thy sin will find thee out. Though thou shouldest never be discovered here on earth, on the day of Christ's judgment thy theft will be brought before thee; for there is nothing secret which shall not be revealed on that awful day.

Think of these things when thou art tempted to take that which is not thine; and may God by His Holy Spirit turn thee away from sin for Jesus Christ's sake!

JOHN HENRY PARKER, OXFORD AND LONDON.

HARRY FULTON, OR

THE MERCHANT'S SON.

He had no

MR. FULTON was a rising man. thing to begin with but good sharp wits. A clever head was all his stock in trade, and his purse added but little to his weight. However, Mr. Fulton gave himself to business; he had seen men rise before him, and he did not see why his feet should not mount the ladder. Accordingly he began by contriving to get into an under place in a merchant's office, with a small salary; the small salary he laid out to the best advantage; and as he thought it a great matter to "look respectable," he was careful of his appearance, and managed to appear better off than he was. Then he was always in his place, always in the way, always ready. If any extra work was to be done, Fulton was at hand to do it; he never seemed to grudge work. Thus he became useful to his