room at the top of the house, where he could not speak to any
person. Poor Henry cried sadly, and Lucy and Emily cried too; but Mr.
Fairchild would not excuse Henry.

"It is better," he said, "that he should be punished in this world
whilst he is a little boy than grow up to be a liar and a thief."

So poor Henry was locked up by himself in a little room at the very top
of the house. He sat down on a small box and cried sadly. He hoped that
his mother and father would have sent him some breakfast; but they did
not. At twelve o'clock he looked out of the window and saw his mother
and sisters walking in the meadows at a little distance, and he saw his
father come and fetch them in to dinner, as he supposed; and then he
hoped that he should have some dinner sent him; but no dinner came.
Some time after he saw Betty go down into the meadow to milk the cow;
then he knew that it was five o'clock, and that it would soon be night;
then he began to cry again.

"Oh! I am afraid," he said, "that papa will make me stay here all
night! and I shall be alone, for God will not take care of me because
of my wickedness."

Soon afterwards Henry saw the sun go down behind the hills, and he
heard the rooks as they were going to rest in their nests at the top of
some tall trees near the house. Soon afterwards it became dusk, and
then quite dark. "Oh! dear, dear," said Henry, when he found himself
sitting alone in the dark, "what a wicked boy I have been to-day! I
stole an apple, and told two or three lies about it! I have made my
papa and mamma unhappy, and my poor sisters, too! How could I do such
things? And now I must spend all this night in this dismal place; and
God will not take care of me because I am so naughty."

Then Henry cried very sadly indeed. After which he knelt down and
prayed that God would forgive him, till he found himself getting more
happy in his mind.

When he got up from his prayer he heard the step of someone coming
upstairs; he thought it was his mother, and his little heart was very
glad indeed. Henry was right: it was indeed his mother come to see her
poor little boy. He soon heard her unlock the door, and in a moment he
ran into her arms.

"Is Henry sorry for his naughtiness?" said Mrs. Fairchild, as she sat
down and took him upon her lap. "Are you sorry, my dear child, for your
very great naughtiness?"

"Oh, indeed I am!" said Henry, sobbing and crying; "I am very sorry,
pray forgive me. I have asked