managed to spread his slice of bread, find his hat, and make good his
escape from the comfortless home.

There was an hour yet to school-time; or, for the matter of that, he
might have the whole day. Tip went to school, or let it alone, just as he
pleased. He made his way straight to his favourite spot, the broad, deep
pond, and laid himself down on its grassy bank to chat with the fishes.

"My!" he said; "how nice they look whisking about. It's cool down there,
I know; they don't mind the sun. I wish I had my fish-pole here, I'd have
one of them shiny big fellows there for my dinner; only it's too hot to
fish, and it would seem kind of mean, besides, to get him up here in this
blazing sun. Hang me if I make even a fish get out of the water to-day,
when it can stay in!"

Of all the scholars in Miss Perry's class, the one who she would have
said paid the least attention was this same boy who was lying on his face
by the pond, envying the fishes. Yet Tip had heard nearly every word she
said; and now, as he looked into the water, which lay cool in the shade
of some broad, branching trees, there came into his heart the music of
those words again,--

"Neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat."

"I declare," he said, as the meaning of those words dawned upon him, "I'd
like that! they'll never be too warm again. It was a pretty nice story
she told us about that boy. He couldn't have had a very good time; his
father was a drunkard. I wish I knew just about what kind of a fellow he
was; he turned right square round after that man talked to him. Now he is
a minister; I suppose lots of people like him. It must be kind of nice,