and green, sweet flowers were blooming on all sides, butter-flies and
dragon-flies sported in the sunshine, and birds were singing on every
bush and tree. All things seemed to be joyful, and the two boys started
off briskly, with Carlo after them.

But of this party, the only one that was truly happy, was Carlo. He had
nothing to do but to obey his master, and this he had done when John had
called him away from his home. John tried to raise his own spirits, and
ran, and jumped about, and romped with Carlo. But he could not forget
that he had done wrong, that he ought to have been at school, and that
he should grieve his kind parents when they knew what he was now doing.
The thought of this would come into his mind, and kept him from being
happy. As for Tom Jones, he seemed merry enough, though he not only knew
that he was doing wrong himself, but that he had led John into mischief.
He tried to forget this, and laughed and shouted with all his might; but
it was in vain, and he had bitter feelings at the bottom of his heart
all the time.

[Illustration: AFFECTION]

They went on rambling till they had got more than a mile into the wood.
The stream here was wide and deep. On one side of it there grew an old
willow, and in one of the branches of this, they saw a wren's nest. As
Tom was the stronger boy of the two, it was agreed that he should help
John up to the branch, so that he might reach the nest. John got upon
the branch, and he had put out his hand to take hold of the nest, when
the branch broke off, and down he fell into the water. Tom laughed at
this, for he knew that the stream was not deep enough to drown him: but
Carlo rushed in and dragged his master by the clothes towards the bank.
John scrambled out, but he was covered with mud. Tom helped him to take