as committed the robbery the night before last?'

'Sartain sure,' said the farmer.

'Yes, I did,' said Harry. I have been a very wicked boy, I have; and I stole Uncle Tom's cherries; but I couldn't help stealing the fowls. The gipsies made me; they beat

me so.'

'There, that will do, my lad,' said the policeman. Keep all that till you are before the gentleman. Don't tell no tales against yourself. There, catch hold of my hand; and look you, don't you try to run away, or I shall have to use my staff; and it does bite a boy hard, just.'

And the policeman took from his pocket, and showed Harry, the short thick stick which he carried with him, and which all policemen have.

'I shall not run away,' said Harry. 'I can't; my feet are so sore.'

Happily for the little boys, they had not far to walk before they came to the magistrate's house, although you may be sure that

Hugh and Harry would have gladly put off the time. During the walk both the boys had been thinking over all the trouble which they had brought upon themselves, and the sorrow which they had felt in the wood for having been so wicked came back again.

All at once Harry said to the policeman'Do you think that God will hear a very, very wicked boy if he says his prayers?'

Now, the policeman was a very kind man, who had a number of little children of his own, and he stooped down to look into Harry's face before he answered.

The poor little face was blurred with crying, and streaked with lines of dirt where the tears had not washed it a little cleaner.

'Have you been a very wicked boy, my lad?' asked the policeman.

Harry sadly nodded his head.

'I have been dreadful.

I broke Aunt

Sophy's china cup, and told a lie; and then we stole Uncle Tom's cherries, and told more lies; and then we ran away and thought we would be tramps. I did not know what

tramping meant when we ran away.

And

then we fell in with those wicked gipsies, and they made me be as wicked as they were. Indeed they made me. Do you think God would listen if I said my prayers, policeman?'

'Yes, I think He will,' said the policeman. 'Try it, my boy. You are sorry, ain't you?'

There was no need to ask that again. Poor Harry's bitter tears of sorrow answered for him.

But I think the policeman hardly expected what the little boy was going to do next. Harry went down upon his bare knees on the dirty road, and hiding his face against the leg of the policeman, he said, in a weak little voice

Pray, God, forgive me for being a very wicked boy, and make me better, for Jesus Christ's sake.

Amen.'

The policeman was still looking down at Harry, when Hugh said

'I was much worse than my little brother, for I first asked him to steal the cherries.'

'Then you must follow your little brother's example, my boy, which is a much better one than that you set him,' said the police

man.

Then Harry jumped up and put his arms round the policeman's neck, and kissed him ; and the policeman said

'Poor little chap! doing wrong, is it not?'

It is very hard lines

Do you understand the meaning of the policeman's words?

When children or grown people forget God and do wicked things, they are sure to suffer from it sooner or later. If it has pleased you to read about what befell Hugh and Harry Selby, I want you at the same time to remember what their story teaches you. When once people begin to do wrong, they never know where they may stop, or if they may ever stop at all; and when once people forget God, the devil tries to get hold of them and make them more and more wicked.

CHAPTER XIX.

BEFORE THE MAGISTRATE.

ERY awful it seemed to Hugh and Harry to have to be brought before the magistrate. The police

man rang the hall bell; and when the servant answered it, the policeman. said

'Is your master at home? I've a queer case of stealing here.'

'What! them boys!' said the servant, who did not know much of grammar. 'Seems to me I have seen them young rascals before

now.'

Hugh looked up and saw that it was 'John,' who had given them the bread and meat two days before. He could not

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