82 LAST AND WORST.

made the joyous scene to me one of darkness and sad.
ness. Itis hard to meet with deceit and ingratitude,
and to receive it, too, in return for kind sympathy and
affection.”

There was a pause. The older boys looked askance
at each other. Mr. Harding resumed,—

~“Trode to the village in haste yesterday afternoon
to execute a forgotten commission connected with our
little festival, and was on my return home, when the
spectators of the circus were just leaving the tent. I
stopped to let the crowd pass, and imagine my surprise
and sorrow when I saw among the crowd a number of
iny own pupils hastily moving towards their home, as
if fearful of being late at my festival. I saw them dis-
tinctly, and recognised each, or I could hardly have
believed them capable of such bold disobedience, and
that, too, on the very afternoon when I was doing all
in my power to promote their happiness. Now, I wish
every boy present who attended the circus yesterday
afternoon to arise in his seat.”

One after another, with countenances expressive of
great mortification, the boys reluctantly arose in their
seats, until the six who had gone in the party together
were all standing.

Mr. Harding looked around. “This is not all,” he
said. Still no one moved.

“ This is all who were of our party,.sir,” said Dick
Wells. “There were but six.”