The captain sighed deeply.  “Max,” he said, “dearly as I love my only son, I would sooner lay him under the sod, knowing that his soul was in heaven, than have him live to be a profane swearer.  Bring me that Bible from the table yonder.”

The boy obeyed.

“Now turn to the twenty-fourth chapter of Leviticus, and read the sixteenth verse.”

Max read in a trembling voice, “’And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him; as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.’”

“Now the twenty-third,” said his father.

“’And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones; and the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Max had some difficulty in finishing the verse, and at the end quite broke down.

“Papa,” he sobbed, “I didn’t know that was in the Bible.  I never thought about its being so dreadfully wicked to say bad words.”

“What do you now think a boy deserves who has done it again and again? say as often as Max Raymond has?” asked his father.

“I suppose to be stoned to death like that man.  But nobody is ever put to death for swearing nowadays?” the boy said, half inquiringly, not daring to look at his father as he spoke.

“No, Max, fortunately for you and many others.  But suppose you were my father and I a boy of your age, and that I had been swearing, what would you think you ought to do about it?”

“Give you a sound flogging,” he answered, in a low, reluctant tone.

“Well, Max, that is just what I shall have to do, if I ever know you to use a profane word again,” said his father, in a grave, sad tone.  “I should do it now, but for the hope that you are sorry enough for the past to carefully avoid that sin in the future.”

“Indeed I will, papa,” he said, very humbly.

“And, Max,” resumed his father, “you are never to make a companion of, or go at all with anybody who uses such language, and never to read a book or story that has in it anything of that kind.  And you are not to say by George or by anything.  Our Saviour says, ’Let your communication be Yea, yea, Nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.’  My son, have you asked God to forgive you for taking His holy name in vain?”

“No, sir.”

“Then go at once to your room and do it.”

“I did, papa,” Max said, when he came down again to find his father waiting for him.

“I trust the petition came from your heart, my son,” was the grave but kind rejoinder.  “I must have a little more talk with you on this subject, but not now, for it is time we followed the others into the next house, if we would not keep Grandma Rose’s tea waiting.”