kinds of spore and diversion. He was the leader of their plays and
amusements, and but for the occasional outbreaks of his violent temper
would have been a great favourite. As it was, the boys liked him, and
his master was undoubtedly very fond of Fred Parker. He was an honest
truthful boy though impetuous and headstrong.

Permission was given the lads, who as we have said were six in number,
to walk out one fine September afternoon without the guardianship of
their master. They were to gather blackberries, highly esteemed by Mrs.
Barton for preserves, and it was the great delight of the boys to supply
her every year with this fruit. Blackberrying is a very amusing thing to
country children. It is less so perhaps in its consequences to the
nurse, or sempstress, who has to repair the terrible rents which
merciless brambles make, but of that children, boys especially, think
little or nothing. On they went, each provided with a basket and a long
crome stick, for the purpose of drawing distant clusters over ditches
or from some height within the reach of the gatherer. At first they
jumped and ran and sang in all the merriment of independence. The very
consciousness of life, health, and freedom was sufficient enjoyment, and
there was no end to their fun and their frolics until they came to the
spot where the blackberries grew in the greatest abundance. Then they
began to gather and eat and fill their baskets in good earnest. The most
energetic amongst them was Fred, and he had opportunities enough this
afternoon for practising kindness and self-denial, for White was in one
of his bad moods, and pushed before Fred whenever he saw a fine and
easily to be obtained cluster of fruit; and once, (Fred thought
purposely,) upset his basket, which stood upon the pathway, all in the
dust. Still Fred bore all this very well, and set about the gathering
with renewed ardour, though one or two of the party called out, "Give it
him, Parker; toss his out and see how he likes it." No, Fred had begun