ld's manly piety had begun to leaven the school, the
tables turned; before he died, in the School-house at least, and I
believe in the other house, the rule was the other way. But poor Tom
had come to school in other times. The first few nights after he came
he did not kneel down because of the noise, but sat up in bed till the
candle was out, and then stole out and said his prayers, in fear lest
some one should find him out. So did many another poor little fellow.
Then he began to think that he might just as well say his prayers in
bed, and then that it didn't matter whether he was kneeling, or
sitting, or lying down. And so it had come to pass with Tom, as with
all who will not confess their Lord before men; and for the last year
he had probably not said his prayers in earnest a dozen times.

Poor Tom! the first and bitterest feeling which was like to break his
heart was the sense of his own cowardice. The vice of all others which
he loathed was brought in and burned in on his own soul. He had lied
to his mother, to his conscience, to his God. How could he bear it?
And then the poor little weak boy, whom he had pitied and almost
scorned for his weakness, had done that which he, braggart as he was,
dared not do. The first dawn of comfort came to him in swearing to
himself that he would stand by that boy through thick and thin, and
cheer him, and help him, and bear his burdens, for the good deed done
that night. Then he resolved to write home next day and tell his
mother all, and what a coward her son had been. And then peace came to
him as he resolved, lastly, to bear his testimony next morning. The
morning would be harder than the night to begin with, but he felt that
he could not afford to let one chance slip. Several times he faltered,
for the devil showed him first all his old friends calling him "Saint"
and "Square-toes," and a dozen hard names, and whispered to him that
his motives would be misunderstood, and he would only be left alone
with the new boy; whereas it was his duty to keep all means of
influence, that he might do good to the largest number. And then came
the more subtle temptation, "Shall I not be showing myself braver than
others by doing this? Have I any right to begin it now? Ought I not
rather to pray in my own study, letting other boys know that I do so,
and trying to lead them to do it, while in public at least I should go
on as I have done?" However, his good angel was too strong that night,
a