"You don't mean we shall have the cherries, do you?" inquired Nat.
"Certainly, you have worked hard enough for them," he replied. "And I like to see boys willing to own up when they do wrong. I don't think you meant to do wrong; but I am glad to see you make a clean breast of it, and not be so mean as to equivocate, and lie, to get out of a scrape. Boys always fare the best when they are truthful, and try to do right."
"We are much obliged to you," said Nat. "You will never catch us on your cherry-tree again without permission."
Having pocketed the cherries, they put on their caps, and hastened home, quite thoroughly convinced that all cherries which grow a half mile from any house are not wild.
CHAPTER V.
ATHLETIC SPORTS.
"A swim to-night," shouted John to Frank, on his way home from school. "All hands be there."
"Will you come, Nat?" inquired Frank.
"Yes; and swim three rods under water," was Nat's reply.