"'Yes,' said Milton again.

"The little boy suddenly heard a bee buzzing in his ears--'Tell the
truth, Milton; tell the truth!' But he said to himself, 'It won't matter
if the gate stands open all night; I will latch it the first thing in
the morning.' And so he soon forgot all about it.

"The next morning, right after breakfast, Milton's mother sent him on
an errand. Marion was still asleep.

"'Where's Marion?' asked Milton when he came back.

"'He woke a little while ago,' said Mother. 'After I gave him his
breakfast, I let him go out in the yard to play--it's such a bright
morning.'

"Instantly Milton thought of the gate; and he went to look for Marion.

"A moment later he heard his father cry out in alarm; and looking toward
the pasture where the two young mules were kept, he saw little Marion
just inside the fence.

"Daddy ran toward the baby as fast as he could; but he was just too late.
One of the mules kicked Marion, and he fell over in a little heap. The
mule, seeing Daddy coming, ran toward the other end of the pasture.

"Daddy picked up the limp little body and carried it to the house. The
baby lay so still that at first they thought he was dead.

"Milton was terribly frightened, and he cried almost all day; for he