About a quarter of a mile up this little stream was a place where some windfalls had partially dammed the water, forming a little pond, in which were myriads of frogs, tadpoles, polliwogs, and turtles of all sizes. It was a great amusement to the boys to see them, as the pond diminished, preparing to go up the brook, each old duck followed by her own family. Being of many different colors, their glossy heads and backs shining in the sun as they sailed up in regular order to give battle to the frogs, they looked gay indeed. Charlie caught two of the small turtles to take home with him.
At noon, when Mr. Williams came home, he received the boys very kindly, and told them he was glad to have Fred go with them, as he had been a good boy, and worked nobly all summer, and that he might stay as long as they wanted him to. He then invited them to stop and dine with Fred. As for Tige, little Fannie took him under her special care, and shared her dinner with him.
As they were going along Fred said to John, “This is the very line I carried the day I played truant, and stuck the hook in me. How much better I feel now than I did then. In those days I used to come sneaking home at night with a guilty conscience, and the fear of being found out spoilt all the comfort; but I tell you I felt about right to-day, and couldn’t help thinking of it when father praised me up so much before you, and was so willing to spare me, though he will have to work very hard while I’m gone.”
“I never disobeyed my father,” replied John, “because I never wanted to; but I’ve often done wrong, and if every boy feels as bad as I do about it, there can’t be much comfort in it.”
“I don’t believe,” said Charlie, “that boys who have nothing to do but play are as happy as we that work, for, when we get a holiday, we enjoy more in one hour than they do in a week.”
“I am glad,” continued Fred, “that I took up with Uncle Isaac’s advice, and staid at home, for, had I gone to Salem, I should probably have found other companions as bad as Pete Clash, and being away from all restraint, been worse than ever, and perhaps have come to the gallows.”
“It’s too late to do much to-night,” said Charlie, as they landed; “let’s go up to the great maple, and talk and lay plans. You’ve never seen the great maple—have you, Fred?”
“No; you know I never was on here, only in the winter, when everything was frozen up, and covered with snow.”
Going along, they came to the two great trees which were connected by a common root, making a natural bridge across the brook, which, above them, widened out into a little basin.
“What a nice place this would be to keep ducks!” said Fred; “they could swim in the cove, and, when the tide was out, come into this little basin, and go clear to the head of the brook.”