She did not realize that it was her duty to watch, encourage, and advise, and also to find out when mischief was being planned.  In fact, this aunt and mother, busy with her own cares, knew nothing of the possibilities for a child whose confidence and love had been won, and who, through loving counsel, had gained a knowledge of evils and their effects before he had formed ruinous habits or his mind had been polluted with false ideas.  Being thus left to themselves to discern as best they could the difference between right and wrong, the boys nearly always chose the wrong; and as a result, constantly went deeper and deeper into sinful things.

CHAPTER III

What the Big Chest Contained

Great sins always have a beginning; the first attempts to do evil are not hard to check if taken in time, but if allowed to be carried out, it is impossible to tell what the results may be.  How sad it was that John and his cousins did not have someone to check them!

The boys now decided to keep close watch, and to avail themselves of every opportunity to procure tobacco, even if they were forced to steal it.  The word “steal” had, of course, a certain horror to John because of the picture his aunt had described of a prison and a thief; but he soothed his conscience by saying, “There isn’t anything else in the world except tobacco that I would think of stealing.”  But the stealing habit, like the tobacco habit, continues to grow stronger, unless it is in some way broken.  As tobacco contains a poison that affects the physical being, so in a similar manner lying and stealing have a ruinous effect upon the moral nature.  The three—­lying, stealing, and tobacco using—­too often go hand in hand.

The first effort of the boys to secure the much-coveted tobacco was made one day when they, while roaming about over the prairie, discovered a man hard at work in a field.  The man seemed to be lifting something that was very heavy, and Will suggested to the boys that they go and lend their services provided the man would give them each a chew of his tobacco in return; and Will did not forget to add that they must each take as generous a bite as their mouths could accommodate.  The man was glad to accept their help; and together with his own efforts, the work was soon finished.  Then, in fulfillment of his agreement, he handed them his plug of tobacco that they might each take the “chew” he had promised them.

According to Will’s suggestion the boys did not stop with an ordinary chew; but each took all that his mouth would contain.  When they returned the plug, it was so small that the boys were all afraid the man would find fault with them; so they hurried away from the spot as rapidly as possible.  As soon as they were far enough away, they removed the tobacco from their mouths; and they found that, by taking very small chews at a time, the amount was sufficient to last them for some time.  Several times they succeeded in securing tobacco in this way, and by economizing were able to get along pretty well for a while.  But the plan did not always work; for the neighbors’ becoming aware of the scheme, prepared themselves with a small piece of tobacco to offer the greedy boys.