"Now," continued the teacher, "I wish you, Samuel, to tell me exactly the words Frank Colvin whispered to you this morning."
"I can't remember exactly, sir." Sam's face was as red as fire.
"You may tell, Frank."
"He said, 'Will you let me take your new ball at recess?' and I told him that I had left it at home."
"Yes, those were the words. I can believe you, Frank, for I have never known you to tell a lie. You may take your seat."
"Now, Samuel, let me tell you, that I heard you boasting to the boys that you got off from a whipping by a nice little white lie as you called it. There are no white lies. Every lie is, in God's sight, black; and he has told us how he will punish liars who do not repent and forsake their sins. You broke the rule of the school by whispering to your companion, and thus tempting him to answer; and you have done what was far worse, and broken God's holy law. You denied that you had whispered, and bore false witness against your neighbor. How mean for you to sit by and see him punished for an offence which you had led him to commit! I am distressed that I have such a scholar, and shall be compelled to punish you as you deserve."
He then took a ruler from his desk, and punished Samuel on both hands,—the boy yelling with all his might, while poor Frankie laid his head on the desk before him and cried.
When Sam returned to his seat, he raised the cover of his desk to screen his burning cheeks. He was very, very angry; and, if he had dared, would have been glad to knock Frankie down for daring to tell the truth against him.
It was very hard for the good boy to study his lesson, while his seat-mate was muttering so angrily behind the cover; but, remembering his victory over himself with his music lesson, he bent his whole mind to the task, and soon learned all the map questions in his geography lesson.
The class was called to recite directly after recess; and Frankie was standing in front of the teacher, when he heard a familiar bark, and suddenly Tony bounded into the room and rushed up to him.