STORY VII – THE TRUANT

1. James Brown was ten years old when his parents sent him to school. It was not far from his home, and therefore they sent him by himself.
2. But, instead of going to school, he was in the habit of playing truant. He would go into the fields, or spend his time with idle boys.
3. But this was not all. When he went home, he would falsely tell his mother that he had been to school, and had said his lessons very well.
4. One fine morning, his mother told James to make haste home from school, for she wished, after he had come back, to take him to his aunt’s.
5. But, instead of minding her, he went off to the water, where there were some boats. There he met plenty of idle boys.
6. Some of these boys found that James had money, which his aunt had given him; and he was led by them to hire a boat, and to go with them upon the water.
7. Little did James think of the danger into which he was running. Soon the wind began to blow, and none of them knew how to manage the boat.

8. For some time, they struggled against the wind and the tide. At last, they became so tired that they could row no longer.
9. A large wave upset the boat, and they were all thrown into the water. Think of James Brown, the truant, at this time!
10. He was far from home, known by no one. His parents were ignorant of his danger. He was struggling in the water, on the point of being drowned.
11. Some men, however, saw the boys, and went out to them in a boat. They reached them just in time to save them from a watery grave.
12. They were taken into a house, where their clothes were dried. After a while, they were sent home to their parents.
13. James was very sorry for his conduct, and he was never known to be guilty of the same thing again.
14. He became regular at school, learned to attend to his books, and, above all, to obey his parents perfectly.

Continue to Lesson 8