d he is
stone dead."

"What did he do that for? Had he any trouble with Frank?"

"No, mother; he did it because he is an ugly boy, and for nothing else.
He is always doing some wrong thing. The teacher told him the other day
that he had more difficulty with the scholars than all the other boys
put together. Frank and I didn't want he should go with us; but he and
Ben came along and went without being asked to go."

"They are very bad boys," added his mother, "and I am afraid they will
make bad men. It is well known that they are disobedient at home, and
cause their parents a great deal of trouble, Sam especially."

"And such swearers I never heard in my life," continued Nat. "Every
third word Sam speaks is profane. And he is vulgar too. I wish you knew
how bad he is."

"I hope you will avoid his company as much as possible. Treat him
properly, but have as little to say to him as you can. I have been told
that he spends much of his time at the stable and tavern, where he hears
much profane and vulgar talk. Boys ought not to visit such places. By
and by he will be smoking and drinking as bad as any of them."

"He smokes now," said Nat; "and he told Charlie one day that a boy could
never be a man till he could smoke a 'long nine'."

"I hope you will never be a man, then," said his mother. "When a boy
gets to going to the tavern to smoke and swear, he is almost sure to
drink, and become a ruined man."

"I never do smoke, mother. I never go to the stable nor tavern, I don't
associate with Sam and Ben Drake, nor with James Cole, nor with Oliver
Fowle, more than I can help. For I know they are bad boys. I see that
the worst scholars at school are those who are said to disobey their
parents, and every one of them are poor scholars, and they use profane
language."

"That is very true, Nat," said his mother. "I am glad you take notice of
these things. Bad boys make bad men; always remember that. Be very
careful about the company you keep, for the Bible says, 'evil
communications corrupt good manners.' You know how to behave well, and
if you do as well as you can, you will be respected by all who know
you."

"But, mother," asked Nat, "may I go over to Frank's house, and help him
bury Trip? I won't be gone long."

"Yes, you may go, but it will be tea-time in an hour, and you must be
back then."

Out ran Nat in a hurry, for he had stayed longer to converse with his
mother than he meant to have done, and he was afraid