"Come, Henry," said one of them to him, "let us go and get some apples."
"The apples are not ours," he fearlessly replied, "and I do not think it right to steal."
"You are a coward, and afraid to go," the other replied.
"I am afraid," said Henry, "to do wrong, and you ought to be; but I am not afraid to do right."
This wicked boy was exceedingly irritated at this rebuke, and called Henry all manner of names, and endeavored to hold him up to the ridicule of the whole school.
Henry bore it very patiently, though it was hard to be endured, for the boy who ridiculed him had a great deal of influence and talent.
Some days after this the boys were going a fishing. Henry had a beautiful fishing-rod, which his father had bought for him.
George—for by that name I shall call the boy who abused Henry—was very desirous of borrowing this fishing-rod, and yet was ashamed to ask for it. At last, however, he summoned courage, and called out to Henry upon the play-ground—
"Henry, will you lend me your rod to go a fishing?"
"O yes," said Henry; "if you will go home with me, I will get it for you now."