some boy's trick; and it has fooled us nicely. Let us keep the
secret, and have our share of the joke."
11. Then they laughed again, and went back to the village;
and some of the simple people there have not yet found out
what that strange light was.
12. When thc men had gone, Ray thought it was time for
him to go; so he wound up his string, picked up his kite and
lantern, and went home. His mother had been wondering
what had become of him.
13. When she heard what he had been doing, she hardly
knew whether to laugh or scold; but I think she laughed, and
told him that it was time for him to go to bed.



THIRD READER. 111

LESSON XLII.
BEWARE OF THE FIRST DRINK.

1. "Uncle Philip, as the day is fine, will you take a walk
with us this morning?"
2. "Yes, boys. Let me get my hat and cane, and we will
take a ramble. I will tell you a story as we go. Do you know
poor old Tom Smith?"
3. "Know him! Why, Uncle Philip, everybody knows him.
He is such a shocking drunkard, and swears so horribly."
4. "Well, I have known him ever since we were boys
together. There was not a more decent, well-behaved boy
among us. After he left school, his father died, and he was