A LITTLE SISTER. 3

leaves the father's face, but the frown deepens, and
he salutes him in a hard voice-
 "What is the meaning of this, sir ? late as you
have often been kept in, you have never been so
late as to-day."
 "Mr. Duncan gave me a long imposition, father;
it took me till past six to finish," replied the boy,
lifting a pair of candid eyes, in which lay a lurking
fear, to his father's face.
 "What was the imposition for-misconduct or a
neglected lesson ?"
 "For not knowing my lessons. I did not learn
any for to-day, because I thought, father," said
the boy with a rising flush, the tears springing to
his eyes, "that you -that you but here, at
the gathering wrath of his father's face, his voice
failed.
 Do you mean to tell me that you had the
presumption to go to school without having pre-
pared one of your lessons?" sternly asked Mr.
Gilbert.
 No response; but the boy's eyes are lowered, and
a dogged look creeps about the mouth.
 Speak, sir, did you learn none of them ?"
 "None, father;" but, through all its fear, the son's
face grows nearly as hard as the parent's.
 "John, this is a case of wilful and deliberate