THE ARITHMETIC LESSON. 21

at the thought—‘father will have to give me an excuse,
oad so I shall get off.”

To carry out my resolution, I began to climb fences,
and gather flowers, and knock apples off the trees with
stones. . I fully succeeded in wiling away the time, and
did not get home until within half an hour of school-
time.

But ah! I did not like showing myself to my parents,
nor did I feel as keen an appetite for breakfast as usual.
I feared they would penetrate my design, and Iwas a
coward. -My bowl of nice bread and milk, set aside for
me, was hastily swallowed. Then I followed my father
into the wood-house. |

“Father,” (I began with some exertion), “ father,
will you please to give rae an excuse? I have just got
home from. pasture, and have had no time to get my |
sums done.”

He stopped his work and looked at me. My eyes
fell, and were fixed on a chip at my foot.

“Do you honestly think you deserve one, Robert?”

he asked, seriously. -