ar!" said
the sailor. "God be thanked! we have come in time to do you a service
in return for what you did us in the morning. As I lay under a hedge I
heard these villains talk of robbing a little boy that from the
description I concluded must be you; but I was so lame that I should
not have been able to come time enough to help you if I had not met
this honest blind man, who took me upon his back, while I showed him
the way." The little boy thanked them very gratefully for thus
defending him, and they went all together to his father's house, which
was not far off, where they were all kindly entertained with a supper
and bed.

The little boy took care of his faithful dog as long as he lived, and
never forgot the importance and necessity of doing good to others if
we wish them to do the same to us.

II

THE ILL-NATURED LITTLE BOY

There was once a little boy who was so unfortunate as to have a very
bad man for his father, who was always surly and ill-tempered, and
never gave his children either good instruction or good example. In
consequence of this, this little boy, who might otherwise have been
happier and better, became ill-natured and quarrelsome, and
disagreeable to every one. He very often was severely beaten for his
impertinence by boys that were bigger than himself, and sometimes by
boys that were less; for though he was very abusive and quarrelsome,
he did not much like fighting, and generally trusted more to his heels
than his courage when he had engaged himself in a quarrel. This little
boy had a cur dog that was the exact image of himself; he was the most
troublesome, surly creature imaginable, always barking at the heels of
every horse he came near, and worrying every sheep he could meet with,
for which reason both the dog and the boy were disliked by all the
neighborhood.

One morning his father got up early to go to the ale-house, where he
intended to stay till night, as it was a holiday; but before he went
out he gave his son some bread and cold meat and sixpence, and told
him he might go and divert himself as he would the whole day. The
little boy was very much pleased with this liberty, and as it was a
very fine morning he called his dog Tiger to follow him, and began his
walk.

He had not proceeded far before he met a boy that was driving a flock
of sheep towards a gate that he wanted them to enter. "Pray, master,"
said the little boy, "stand still, and keep your dog close to you, for