getting the wrong lesson. I came by his window, and there he was, fagging away; and when we came to talk about it, we found that we had been studying in different places. But he was so sure he was right, that I thought I must be wrong.

Peter. I know it I know all about it.

John. Why? did you tell him wrong?

Peter. No; I never tell a lie, you know. But yesterday, when the master gave out the lesson, George was helping a little boy to do a sum; so he only listened with one ear, and the consequence) was, he misunderstood what the master said; and then he began groaning about such a hard lesson, as we were going home; I laughing to myself all the time.

John. What did you find out his blunder, and not set him right?

Peter. Set him right! Not I. I scolded about the hard lesson, too.

John. There, that is the reason he was so positive. He said you had got the same lesson he had.

Peter. But I did not tell him so; I only let him think so.

John. Ah, Peter, do you think that is right?

Peter. To be sure it is. Do you not know he is at the head of the class, and I am next, and if I get him down to-day, I am sure of the medal? A poor chance I should have had, if he had not made such a blunder.

John. Lucky for you, but very unlucky for him; and I must say, I do not call it fair behavior in you, Peter.

Peter. I do not care what you call it, John. It is

none of your affair, as I see; let every boy look out for himself, and the sharpest one will be the best off.

John. Not in the end, Peter. But here comes poor George, and I shall spoil your trick, by showing him the right lessons.

Peter. That you may, now, as soon as you please. If he can get the right lesson decently in half an hour, he is the eighth) wonder of the world. I shall have him down, I am sure of that.

LESSON XXV.

CONSONANT SOUNDS IN COMBINATION.

sk as in skill, skim, ask, bask.
skr as in scream, screen, scribe, scroll.
sks as in asks, basks, masks, tasks.
skst as in ask'st, bask'st, mask'st, task'st.

'The good man has perpetual Sabbath.
The cold winds swept the mountain's height.
The morning breezes freshly blow.
How different was the life they led!

The same, continued.

(Enter George Somers.)

John. HERE, George, stop a minute. Here is bad

news for you.

You have

George. What is the matter?-no school to-day? John. School enough for you, I fancy Deen getting the wrong lesson, after all! George. O John, do not tell me so.

John. It is true; and the boy that sits there whit tling a stick so quietly, he knew it yesterday, and would not tell you.

George. O Peter, how could you do so?

Peter. Easily enough. I do not see that I was under any obligation to help you to keep at the head of the class, when I am the next.

George. But you know you deceived me, Peter. 1 think it would have been but kind and fair to tell me my mistake, as soon as you found it out; but, instead of that, you said things that made me quite sure I was right about the lesson.

Peter. But I did not tell you so; you cannot say I told you so. Nobody ever caught me in a lie.

John. But you will lie; you will come to that yet if you go on so.

Peter. Take care what you say, sir!

George. Come, come, John; do not quarrel) with him. He will get the medal now; and it is a cruel thing too for I sat up till eleven o'clock, last night, studying; and he knew that my father was coming home from Washington to-night, and how anxious I was to have the medal. But it cannot be helped

now.

not cry! I declare there

Peter. Poor fellow! do are great tears in his eyes. Now, it is a pity, really. John. For shame, Peter, to laugh at him! You

are a selfish, mean fellow, and every boy in school thinks so..

George. Come, John, I must go and study my lesson as well as I can. I would rather be at the foot of the class than to take (advantage of any body.

(Exit George.)

Peter. The more fool you! Now, he will be so much excited, that he will be sure to miss in the very first sentence.

John. There is the master, coming over the hill. Suppose I should just step up to him, and tell him the whole story.

Peter. You know better than to do that. It is an affair with which you have nothing to do.

John. I know that very well, and I have no desire to interfere; but the master will find you out yet, without any body's help; and that will be a day of rejoicing to the whole school. There is not a boy in it, Peter, that does not scorn you.

Peter. And who cares, as long as the master

John. Do not be quite so sure about the master! He never says much till he is ready. But I have seen him looking pretty sharply at you, over his spectacles, in the midst of some of your clever tricks. He will detect you one of these days, when you little think of it. I wish you much joy of your medal, sir. You got to the head of the class, last week, unfairly; and if your medal weighed as much as your conscience, I think it would break your neck.

(Peter sits whittling, and humming a tune.)

Peter. Let me see. I am quite sure of the medal in

this class; but there is the writing! John Steady is the only boy I am afraid of. If I could get some bad boy to pester him, and joggle his desk till he gets mad, I should be pretty sure of that too.

LESSON XXVI.

CONSONANT SOUNDS IN COMBINATION.

sl as in slake, slate, slave, slow.
sm as in small, smile, smoke, smote.
sn as in snail, snake, sneer, snow.
sp as in speak, spoke, asp, wasp.

Sometimes a distant sail, gliding along the edge of the ocean, would be another theme of idle speculation.

A sweet and soothing influence breathes around the dwellings of the dead.

The same, concluded.

(Enter the Master, taking out his watch.)

Master. Ir wants twenty minutes to nine. Peter Sly, come to me; I wish to have some conversation with you this morning.