"What _shall_ I do with this boy?" said Mr. Howland. He spoke
sternly, yet in a perplexed voice, while he walked the floor of the
room with a quickness of tread unusual. "If something is not done to
break him into obedience he will be ruined."

"He needs all our forbearance," Mrs. Howland ventured to remark, "as
well as our care and solicitude."

"Forbearance! I have no forbearance toward wrong, Esther. You have
forborne until the child is beyond your control."

"Not entirely," was meekly answered, as the mother's eyes drooped to
the floor.

At this moment a servant, who had been sent for the child, came in
with him. A few doors away lived another child, about the same age,
of whom little Andrew was very fond, and whose companionship he
sought on every occasion. Against the father of this child Mr.
Howland had imbibed a strong prejudice, which was permitted to
extend itself to his family. Rigid and uncompromising in everything,
he had observed that Andrew was frequently in company with the child
of this neighbor, and felt impelled to lay a prohibition on their
intercourse. But Andrew, a light-hearted, high-spirited boy, who
inherited from his father a strong will, was by no means inclined to
yield a ready obedience in this particular. He loved his little
companion, and never was happier than when in her society.
Naturally, therefore, be sought it on every occasion, and when the
positive interdiction of their intercourse came, the child felt that
a duty was imposed upon him that was impossible of fulfillment.