would tell a lie."

"It isn't so clear to me that you would. At any rate, I don't see such
great harm in a little fib. It doesn't hurt any body."

"Father says a falsehood hurts a boy a great deal more than he thinks for.
And one day he showed me in the Bible where liars were classed with
murderers, and other wicked spirits, in hell. I can't tell a lie, Archy."

"There won't be any need of your doing so," urged Archy; "for I am sure he
will never think to ask you about it. Why should he?"

"I don't know. But whenever I have been doing any thing wrong, he is sure
to begin to question me, and lead me on until I betray the secret of my
fault."

"Never mind. Come and go with me. It is such a fine day. We shan't have
another like it. It will rain on Saturday, I'll bet any thing. So come
along, now, and let us have a day in the woods, while we can."

Charles was very strongly tempted. When he thought of the confinement of
school, and then of the freedom of a day in the woods, he felt much
inclined to go with Archy.

"Come along," said Archy, as Charles stood balancing the matter in his
mind. And he took hold of his arm, and drew him in a direction opposite
from the school. "Come! you are just the boy I want. I was thinking about
you the moment before I saw you."

The temptation to Charles was very strong. "I don't believe I will be found