Presently a flock of geese came along the road to the river, cackling and screaming. As they passed half flying and half running, Horace thought that it would be good fun to chase them; so, without thinking of his mother's wishes, away he went, shouting and laughing, and swinging his cap over his head.

The geese got to the water before him, and in they splashed, one after the other, diving, and dashing the spray all over each other, and then swimming gracefully about.

Horace stood watching them with delight, and quite forgot that it was school time.

66

"O, how I wish I could swim!" said he; "how cool the water would feel this hot morning! How I hate to sit in that warm school room all day, studying spelling lessons!"

Just at this moment he saw a little boat, tied to a stake, close by him.

"I might get into that boat," he thought, "and sit there, and watch the geese; that would be beautiful. I wonder why mother is so afraid to have me go near the water; it could not do me any harm to just step into the boat.”

He stood thinking a little while, and looked up and down the river. The water was as clear and blue as the sky; and a few light clouds, that were reflected in it, looked to Horace like a flock of sheep. Wherever the sunlight fell on the river, it sparkled so brightly that it dazzled his eyes; and near the bank the trees cast a deep shadow over it. Every leaf was reflected, in the clear, smooth surface, as distinctly as if it had been a looking-glass.

Horace thought all this was very beautiful, and he thought how pleasant it would be to get into the little boat, and float calmly and gently over the still river. He walked down to the boat. It was a new one, painted bright green, with a red stripe round the edge. There were two oars in it, and a nice seat.

They were very light, and

Horace looked at the boat a moment longer, and then on the bright water, and the geese that were playing about; then he put one foot into it, and took up one of the oars. he thought that he could row quite well with them. So, forgetting his mother's command, he stepped in, sat down, untied the rope that fastened it to the

shore, and the swift current carried the disobedient boy away down the stream.

The boat floated close to the geese, and Horace laughed heartily to see their fright. But the rapid river did not let the boat stay long in one spot, but hurried it along.

All this while, his mother thought him safe at school. She would have been much frightened if she had known his danger. The hours passed away, and it was noon; but he did not come home. When dinner was ready, he was nowhere to be found. They sent one of his older brothers to see if he had not stopped to play on the road. He could not find him; but he met the schoolmistress, who told him that Horace had not been to school that day.

He ran towards home again, inquiring of all he met if they had seen his little brother. No one knew any thing about him, except one man, who said he saw him about nine o'clock, running towards the river, after the geese.

The anxious boy ran down to the river, but did not find his brother. He observed, however, that the boat he had seen there in the morning was gone; and, looking a little farther, he found his brother's satchel. As soon as he found this, he burst into tears; he felt sure that Horace had gone off in the boat, and hastened home to tell his fears.

His parents were very much frightened; and his father and brothers set out to hunt for him. In vain did they go to every neighbor, and inquire for the lost boy; no one had seen him.

The alarm spread, and several men went out in boats, to row up and down the river in search of him, for all were sorry for the distressed parents; but no boat was seen, and they returned.

The next day passed, and still he could not be found. At last, however, towards night, a man, who was out fishing, found the little green boat, and brought it to its owner.

On the afternoon of the third day, a gentleman, who had been down the river in a boat, came back with the body of the lost child. He had found it, about three miles from the town, among some bushes, on a small island. Many hearts ached as they looked on the poor boy, who, but a few days before, was so full of health and joy.

O, how his parents, and brothers, and sisters felt, as they saw him buried in the cold ground! He had died in his youth and beauty, and the very last thing he had done, before his spirit left this world, was to break a commandment of God, which says, "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

Horace had been taught this commandment; he knew what it meant; and he knew how wicked disobedience was. Yet he sometimes forgot it; and the consequence was fatal to him.

If God did not take care of you all the time, you would not be safe a moment; and you cannot expect him to take care of you when you will not obey him. Whenever you are tempted to disobey

your parents, you must always repeat the fifth commandment.

for-bid'den shōul'der dread'fûl dip'ping hǎp'pi-ness scream'ing swing'ing

shǎd'ōw

dis-tinct'ly ģen❜tly

re-flect'ed hur❜ried

PUSH away the dripping ringlets
From the childish brow and fair;
Weep, and kiss the little sleeper
Lying in his beauty there.

See the eyelid's silken fringes
Sweeping o'er the cheek of snow;
Never more will tear-drop gather
In the eyes that sparkled so.

Ask the waters if they heard not,
As they gleamed and flashed away,

Sound of angel-pinions, blending
With the music of their spray;

1 Pron. äkt. 2 tâwt. 3 ǎngk'shus.