nearer than the "big bridge"; he would not take her that way, and
make up a false story to account for his lateness at school, and
he could not leave her alone or take her with him.

What was to be done? While several absurd and impracticable plans
were passing through his brain, the school bell began to ring,
and he must start immediately to reach the schoolhouse in time.

And now his anxiety and perplexity became more intense than ever;
and Jenny, looking up into his troubled countenance, began to
cry.

Andrew, who had never before failed to be at the school door
before the first tap of the bell, began to despair. Was there
nothing to be done?

Yes! a happy thought passed through his mind. How strange that he
should not have thought of it before! He would ask Dominie Black
to let him take Jennie home. What could be more sensible and
straightforward than such a plan?

Of course, the good old schoolmaster gave Andrew the desired
permission, and everything ended happily. But the best thing
about the whole affair was the lesson that the young Scotch boy
learned that day.

The lesson was this: when we are puzzling our brains with plans
to help ourselves out of trouble, let us always stop a moment in
our planning, and try to think if there is not some simple way
out of the difficulty, which shall be in every respect perfectly