n they would for making you do
it. I'm bad enough already, and they know it; but if they think I make
you as bad as I am myself, they would put me in a worse place than a
tinker's shop."

Noddy's argument was too much for the feminine mind of Miss Fanny, and
again she abandoned the purpose she had fully resolved upon, and decided
not to confess her guilt. We must do her the justice to say, that she
came to this conclusion, not from any fear of personal consequences, but
in order to save Noddy from the terrible reproach which would be cast
upon him if she did confess. Already, in her heart and before God, she
had acknowledged her error, and was sorrowfully repenting her
misconduct. But she could not expose Noddy to any penalty which he did
not deserve. She knew that he did not mean to set the fire; that his
words were idle, petulant ones, which had no real meaning; and it would
be wrong to let her father and Bertha suppose that Noddy had instigated
her to the criminal act.

Fanny had not yet learned that it is best to cleave unto the truth, and
let the consequences take care of themselves.

She yielded her own convictions to those of another, which no person
should ever do in questions of right and wrong.

She sacrificed her own faith in the simple truth, to another's faith in
policy, expediency.

The question was settled for the present, and Fanny crept back to her
chamber, no easier in mind, no better satisfied with herself, than
before. Noddy went to sleep again; but the only cloud he saw was the
displeasure of Bertha. He was simply conscious that he had got into a
scrape. He had not burned the boat-house, and he did not feel guilty.
He had not intended to induce Fanny to do the deed, and he did not feel
guilty of that. He was so generous that he wished to save her from the
consequences of her error, and the deception he used did not weigh very
heavily on his conscience.

He regarded his situation as merely a "scrape" into which he had
accidentally fallen, and his only business was to get out of it. These
thoughts filled his mind when he awoke in the morning. He was too
restless to remain a quiet prisoner for any great length of time; and
when he had dressed himself, he began to look about him for the means of
mitigating his imprisonment, or bringing it to a conclusion, as the case
might require. The window would be available at night, but it was in
full view of the gardeners in the daytime, who would be likely