Hatty went about her studies with a sad countenance. She was much afraid that her friend would die without having given her heart to the Saviour.
One day, when she was going home from school, she passed two boys who were quarrelling terribly about a book one of them had lost.
The young girl lingered near them for a few moments, wishing, yet scarcely daring to speak. At last she said,—
"Oh Ethel! how can you quarrel when one of your companions is so very sick? Think if you were to be taken down with the fever, how sorry you would be that you had called any one such hard names."
The boy hung his head, somewhat ashamed, but then said,—
"It's too bad to lose a new book. I'm sure Bill took it home with him."
"I didn't. I haven't seen it since Ethel showed it to me at recess. I don't see why he need to lay it to me."
"At recess?" murmured Ethel. "Oh dear! Bill, wait a minute."
He was off without a word, and in ten minutes more he came running at full speed, shouting,—
"I've found it. Here 'tis, all safe. I left it on the rock when we were playing ball."