Chapter IV: Another Lie

POOR Jimmy, how he dreaded to go up to his room and be alone with his wicked heart. He had a good father and mother who had taught him God's holy laws. As long as it was light, and he could busy himself about work, it was not so bad; but when he took from Ellen the little night-lamp, and walked slowly up to his neat chamber, he could not help sighing repeatedly.

"I wish I hadn't met Daniel," he said half aloud. "'Twas his fault and not mine. I should have gone to school and never thought of such a thing."

He stopped short in its undressing and listened. The voice sounded in his ears so plain:

"My son, if sinners entice thee consent thou not."

This was his last Sunday's verse, and his teacher had explained it to the class. "Yes," faltered poor Jimmy, starting at the shadow his light threw of the bedpost. "Yes, Daniel is a bad boy 'cause he tells awful lies, and he swears too. He is a sinner. He enticed me to go to the pond, and I did consent. I wish I hadn't. I wish I'd said no, I must go to school. Then I shouldn't have had to tell a lie. I suppose 'tis a real lie 'cause Ellen thinks I went. I'm awful sorry. I wish I dared tell mother; but she'd cry so, and then she'd think I'm worse than I am, 'cause I never played truant before; and I haven't told any lies, not real ones. No, I daren't tell her. Ellen will forget all about Ralph before to-morrow."

Jimmy had been taught to kneel by his bedside before he retired, and ask God to forgive his sins of the past day, to help him be a good child, and to take care of him while he was asleep. Never since he could remember had one night passed in which he had not done this, though often his heart was not in his petitions. What was it now that made him hesitate, and finally conclude not to pray this once?

It was the voice of conscience saying, "You are a very wicked boy; you are growing worse every minute. You know you ought to confess your sins to God, and then to your mother. How dare you ask your Father in heaven to bless and keep you, when you are not sorry for having offended him?"

Jimmy jumped into bed, covered the clothes over his head, resolved not to think any more about the sail on the pond; but it was a long time before he fell asleep.

All this happened on Tuesday. Friday noon Daniel met Jimmy accompanied by Gip, as he was going an errand for his mother, and said:

"S'posing we go sailing again. I want to get some lilies; and I know where I can get a cent apiece for 'em."

"If you'll go, I'll share half with you."

"Does your father say you may have the boat?"

Daniel nodded his head, and went on explaining how they would manage. "We shall have to sail out farther than we did last time. The lilies are thick at the other end; and I want to start half an hour before school begins, can't you get away somehow?"

"I don't know as I shall go," faltered Jimmy, looking down at Gip. "I don't believe mother'll let me leave school."

"Bother the school," exclaimed Dan. "I don't believe in keeping boys studying all the time. If I were you, I wouldn't say a word to my mother about it. You got off real slick last Tuesday."

"I'm afraid teacher'll send Ralph Lane again to know why I wasn't at school."

"Oh, that was rich! Ralph told me about it, and how he saw you skulking round the barn. How did you get off with the teacher?"

"I managed," said Jimmy, ashamed to confess even to this wicked boy that he had told an out and out lie, as he himself had to call it; and tell his kind teacher that he went on a visit with his mother.

"Well," urged Daniel, "you can manage again. If you don't want to go, say so, and not be fooling all day about it. There's enough fellows would be glad of the chance to go and earn two or three dollars by selling lilies."

"Two or three dollars, I didn't know 'twould be so much. I'll guess, I'll go."

"I thought you wouldn't be such a fool as to refuse. Be sure and come to the pond by half past one; and then we can get home by the time school is out."

Jimmy ate his dinner in haste, and then asked his mother to let him go, and play with George Rust till school time.

Mrs. Dodge parted the hair from her boy's forehead with a loving smile, said, softly; "You grow more like your father every day;" and then added, "yes, dear, but don't play too hard and get hurt."

"Oh, no!" answered Jimmy and ran away.

He reached the pond some minutes before his companion, and after quite a tussle with his conscience had just made up his mind to go back to school, when he saw Daniel come over the wall down to the boat.

"Father's gone off with a load of fish," he said laughing; "and he wont be home till evening."

"I thought you said he gave you leave to take the boat."

"I didn't say any such thing; I only did so," nodding his head.

"Well that's just the same thing. You told a lie any way."

"You're a pretty fellow to preach about lying," shouted Daniel growing angry. "I should like to know how many lies you told last Tuesday. If you dare to open your head to me again about lying, I'll go and tell your mother all about it."

Daniel's face was as red and fierce as a fighting cock, and poor Jimmy fairly trembled; presently he said humbly:

"I'm sorry I came. I'll go home now if you want me to."

"No, I don't! We're in for it, and we'd better be sailing."