"Yes, ma'am; and I never was so unhappy as after I began to be wicked."
"How about Daniel Crawson?" she asked earnestly. "He has been very regular at school lately, and studies as if he meant to make up for lost time."
"Oh, I'm so glad! He's going to Sunday school too. His father has given him leave."
"Yes;" added Mrs. Dodge, "and I can tell you something more. Mr. Crawson has hired a pew in the side aisle, and told your father he intended to go to church himself. He has not been for fifteen years. He says he's seen occasion to change his mind about religion, and if it isn't too late he means to try and get it himself."
Mrs. Dodge urged the teacher to stay to tea; but as she could not, the lady brought in a saucer of raspberries with sugar and delicious sweet cream.
Miss Reynolds said it was years since she had enjoyed such a treat. After she had eaten the fruit, she went away, telling Jimmy to get up a good stock of health so as to be able to study hard in the autumn.
[CHAPTER X.]
JIMMY'S PLAN.
ONE evening in July Jimmy sat on a cricket with his head in his mother's lap. The day had been very sultry; but now there was a pleasant breeze which wafted the sweet fragrance of the honey-suckle to the porch where they were seated. From the meadow came the sound of the bull frogs croaking their evening song, while every now and then a cricket chirped out a chorus. Jimmy had now nearly recovered his health, though any unusual exertion brought on a return of the pain in his head.
It was a great relief therefore to his parents, that the long summer vacation would give their boy an opportunity to gain strength.