"Mean to!" broke in the farmer, "but you did it; look at my arm!"
"I assure you, sir," said Leslie, earnestly, "that I repented the action the moment I had done it, and tried to replace the pin, but the horse started before I was able."
"Your repentance will not mend this gentleman's arm," said the doctor.
"I know it will not, sir, but believe me I am sorry," said Leslie, with tears rolling down his cheeks.
"How can I place confidence in what you say," said the doctor, "when the very day after your punishment had expired for your former act of folly, you commit a far more serious one?"
Leslie could make no reply, his tears showed his distress.
"Leave me for the present, while I say a few words to Mr West; I must write to your father and consult with him as to what course I shall pursue."
Leslie left the library with a very heavy heart.
Two days after, the doctor sent for him, and informed him that he had written to his father, and that in his reply his father had desired him to keep his son at school during the holidays as a punishment for his fault; at the same time Leslie received this unwelcome intelligence, the doctor handed him a note which had been enclosed in that he himself received.
Leslie found the note was from his mother; he could scarcely read it, tears blinded his eyes. "Do not think," ran the words of the note, "that we at home are not grieved and sorry because our son is not to be with us; we were looking forward to the pleasure of seeing you and clasping you once again in our arms; but we think it our duty to forego all this for your sake. We want our little boy to grow up into a brave and good man, and this he will never do unless he learns to govern well his own nature, repress with a strong hand that which is evil, and foster that which is good. You often used to wonder, when we read the Pilgrim's Progress together, what could be meant by the 'arrow sharpened by love;' now you will learn it by experience, your punishment is an 'arrow sharpened by love.'"