woodman was heard to lift up his voice in prayer, his little boy prayed with him.

On the morning of the day on which he died, he told his little boy that he trusted his prayers had been heard, and that his sins were forgiven him for his Saviour's sake. He then prayed earnestly for his elder sons; after which, kissing little William several times, he besought him to remember his Saviour in the days of his youth.

Towards evening, William's brothers came in with a deer which they had killed in the forest, and a cask of brandy which they had bought from some travellers; when making a great fire in the hut, they roasted part of the venison, and opened their cask of brandy. They took no notice of their poor dying father, though they could not help knowing the state he was in. However, they invited William to come and feast with them; but this kind little boy would not leave his father. He sat beside him till he grew very drowsy, and then laying himself down by him on his bed, he fell asleep.

In the morning, when he awoke, he found his father quite dead, and his brothers lying asleep in different parts of the hut. So kissing his poor father, he sat crying by him till his brothers awoke.

But not to make this story too long, I must tell you that the young men buried their father the day after his death, in a dark corner of the forest, not far from the hut. And when they had closed up the grave, and covered it with sod, they returned to the hut, leaving William and Cæsar sitting by the grave.

After returning to the hut, the young men sat down to regale themselves with the remainder of the venison and brandy. And they began to plot mischief against their little brother, whom they sorely hated, because his ways were not like their ways. "We must not keep him with us," said one of them, "lest, when we kill the king's deer, he should tell of our practices."

"But we will not kill him," said another, "lest his blood should rise up against us."

"Let us take him three days' journey into the forest," said a third," and there suddenly leave him. He will then never come back to tell tales of his brethren."

"But we must take care to tie up Cæsar in the hut," said a fourth, "or we shall find him very troublesome. There will be no getting him away from the child."

"To-morrow," said the fifth brother, "we will set out. We will take an ass with us to carry the child; and we will go three long days' journey into the depths of the forest."

"But we must carefully conceal our purpose from the child," said the sixth, "that we may not be troubled with his lamentations."

So these wicked young men, having settled their horrible plan, they got up early the next morning, and preparing one of the strongest of their asses, they took their little brother out of his bed, and hastily helping him to dress, set him upon the ass.

"Where are we going?" said William, who thought no evil.

"We are going," answered the elder brother, "three days' journey to hunt in the forest, and you are to go with us.

"What! hunt the king's deer ?" said William.

His brothers made no answer, but looked at each other.

Cæsar was ready to follow the ass on which his little master rode, wagging his tail, and capering about, to show that he was in a hurry to be gone; but one of the brothers came with a cord, which he fastened round the poor dog's neck, and dragged him into the hut.

"May not Cæsar go with us?" said William. "No," said the elder brother.

"But we shall be away several days; will you not leave him something to eat?" added William.

"Mind your own business, child,” answered the brother, we will take care of Cæsar."

66

So Cæsar was tied up in the hut; and all the brothers being now ready, they gave the ass a stroke with a stick, and began their journey into the forest.

They first went down a deep, dark path, where the trees were so thick that the light of heaven was almost shut out; then they began to ascend a steep hill, sometimes turning to the right, and sometimes to the left. Thus they went on as fast as the ass could trot, pursuing their journey till noon; when they stopped under a large oak tree to feed the ass, and to take some re

[*In England, everybody is not allowed to kill deer, as in this country; and the punishment of those who do it, without being privileged, is very severe.]

freshment themselves, which they had brought in leathern bags upon their backs.

After an hour's rest, they began their journey again, and went on till evening; when they came to a cave, in a deep hollow way, near which a spring of water gushed out of the rock. At the mouth of this cave the brothers lighted a fire, for fear of wild beasts, and having eaten their supper, they laid themselves down to sleep.

The next day they continued their journey into the depths of the forest, where they saw many deer, which peeped at them from among the underwood, and then ran away. At night they slept on a little circle of grass, which they found in an open part of the forest. But one of the brothers was obliged to watch all night, to keep up a large fire, which they had lighted for fear of the wolves, which they heard all night howling and baying around them.

The next morning they began their last day's journey. The ass was much tired; but this, however, did not disturb these hard-hearted young men. They drove the poor creature forward without mercy, taking little rest, till they came, towards dusk, to a place where four ways met. Here they halted, and having lighted a fire, they sat down to eat and drink.

"We have been travelling three days," said little William; "are we now at our journey's end?"

"Do you think we are come far enough?" said the elder brother, laughing.

"I do not know what you are come for, brother," answered William.

"To steal the king's deer," replied the young man. "But there are deer much nearer our hut than this place; why should you come so far to steal deer." "You will know soon enough," was the only answer they returned.

So after they had eaten their supper, they all lay down to sleep; every one without saying his prayers, excepting little William, who, though he was much tired, fell upon his knees to pray. He joined his little hands, as he had been taught to do by his poor father, and called upon God, in the name of his Redeemer, to take care of him. "My father is dead," said he to himself, "and my brothers speak roughly to me. I have

no friend in this world to care for me. O my God! do thou take care of me, for my dear Saviour's sake."

When he had finished this prayer, he lay down by the ass, and was falling asleep, when he fancied he heard these words: "I will. Be not afraid." At this, he raised up his head, and looked about to discover the speaker; but his brothers were all asleep about him, excepting the one who was watching the fire, who sat silently with his elbows upon his knees. Then the little boy thought that these words had been put into his mind by his heavenly Father; so he felt comforted, and lay down again to sleep.

Now little William was very much tired, and he slept so soundly, that he never heard his brothers move: for these wicked young men, in pursuance of their horrible scheme, got up before break of day, and, leading_away the ass, silently departed towards their own house, leaving William in a deep sleep upon the grass.

William continued to sleep, being undisturbed, till the sun was high enough to shine hot upon him through the upper parts of the trees. Two daws chattering in a branch above his head now awakened him; when he sat up, and looked round him. The turf on which he had been sleeping was interspersed with many beautiful flowers; there were the violet, the wood anemone, and the many-coloured vetch; and birds of various kinds were hopping about, singing and chirping among the trees. It was a lovely morning; and the leaves of the trees were scarcely moved by the gentle wind.

William at first could not recollect where he was, or how he came into that place. But when he perceivea that his companions were gone, and that he was left quite alone, he began to cry bitterly, and to call out aloud for his brothers. His voice sounded through the wood, but no answer was returned. His brethren were already many miles distant from him.

"Oh! my brothers! my cruel brothers!" said William, "did you bring me here in order to leave me in this place? Oh! my father! my poor father! could you now see your little boy, how grieved you would be! But you are happy. I hope you are with God. Yet though you cannot see me, God can see me; and he will pity me, and take care of me. If the wild beasts should eat my body, my soul will go to heaven. My

Saviour will pity me. I am a little sinful boy; but my Saviour came to die for sinners."

Then little William did what all children should do in trouble; he knelt down and prayed for God's help, and he prayed very earnestly.

After he had done praying, he thought that he would try to follow his brothers; but then he recollected, that, as four ways met in that place, it would be impossible for him to know which way they went. He looked to see if there were any marks of fresh footsteps in any of the roads, but could not find any. He then returned to the place where he had slept, and, sitting down on the grass, began to weep bitterly. But he never allowed a word of complaint to proceed out of his lips: only from time to time he prayed earnestly for help from Heaven; and his prayers were always made in the name of his Saviour.

Sometimes it came into his mind that his brothers were only gone hunting, and that they would come back again in the evening; and this made him unwilling to leave the place in which they had left him.

Towards mid-day, being very hungry and thirsty, he began to look carefully about for any bits or scraps of bread and meat which his brothers might have left on the grass. He found some, which he ate thankfully; and in searching among the bushes he met with a little spring of water, of which he drank and was refreshed.

Thus God provided him with a meal in the wilderness, where no man dwelt. So poor little William was very thankful, and his trust in God was made greater by this kindness.

My dear little children, when God sends you smaller blessings, be thankful for them. God loves a thankful disposition. It is a sign of a humble mind; and God loves a humble mind; for it is written in the Bible, God resisteth the proud, but he giveth grace to the humble.

And now the time of William's hardest trial came on; but his heavenly Father remembered him, and had provided a place of comfort for him. But you shall hear how it was.

As evening approached, the wood became more and more gloomy. The birds ceased to sing, and went to rest upon the boughs of the trees; the crickets chirped among the dry leaves; and great bats began to flit about, flapping their heavy wings among the branches