80 THE PREVARICATION STORY.

the house, their mother said, ‘ Well, it seems
the boys have staid again, when sent on an
errand;’ and he answered, ‘ Yes; but this
time they appear to have a good excuse.’
So the boys saw that their plan succeeded.”

‘And so they did not get punished?”
said Rollo.

‘Yes, they did get punished.”

“How?” said Rollo.

‘“‘ By the wretched feelings they endured
for a long time in thinking that they had
not only disobeyed their father, but had
abused the confidence he placed in their
honesty, and ungratefully and wickedly
deceived him. Suppose you had done so,
don’t you think you would suffer more from
thinking of it, than from any punishment
your father would have been likely to have |
inflicted ? ”

“Why, — yes,” said Rollo.

“These boys did. They could not help
thinking of it, and they felt very wretched
about it fora long time. They determined
that they would never be guilty of prevari-
cation again, for it seemed to them oa as
bad as lying.” :

“JT mean to ask my father if it was,” said —