“Why, he stayed at home, and helped his mother, of course.”

“No, I’m sorry to say that he changed his mind, and started off with the boys.  His conscience said no, but his will said yes.”

“Then he did very wrong.”

“So I think.  But the truth must be told.  Charley took his fishing apparatus, and whistled for his little dog, Caper, and away the three boys ran, toward the brook.

“’Let’s go to the deep hole under the elm tree.  That’s where Bill Havens caught the big trout, the other day,’ said one.

“Bill Havens, as they called him, was one of the most noted fishermen in the place.  I knew him well.  He was always sure to succeed, wherever and whenever he went out with his hook and line.  I have been to this deep hole with Bill Havens, more than once, and have seen him catch half a dozen large pickerel, when I could not, by any of my skill, persuade a single fish to come out of the brook.

[Illustration:  BILL HAVENS AT THE DEEP HOLE.]

“‘But we shall have to cross the brook,’ said Charley, ’and how in the world are we going to do that?  The foot-bridge was swept away by the freshet, you know.’

“’Oh, I’ll see about that.  I know where there’s an old tree that lies clear across the stream.  We can get over on that, just as well as we could over the foot-bridge,’

“And so they started for the old tree, which was to serve them for a bridge.  It had been blown down by the wind, and had fallen across the stream, so that the large end rested on the side where the boys were, while the upper limbs reached the opposite bank.  When the boys got to the tree, they saw that it was not quite so convenient a bridge as they could wish; and Charley Mason, who was not by any means a headstrong lad, and not used to such adventures, said he would rather not attempt to cross it.  But the other two boys laughed at him, and told him not to be a coward; and he finally determined he would venture, if the others succeeded.  They did succeed, and Charley, not without some trembling—­which, of course, made his danger the greater—­prepared to follow.  ’Take care, Charley! take care!  Rather dangerous business, isn’t it?  Cling closely to the tree.  There—­so.  Don’t look down into the water, or you’ll be dizzy.  That’s the way.  Come on, now.  Don’t hang on to that dry limb!  It will break and let you fall into the water, if you do.  How the poor fellow trembles! Plash!  There he goes, I declare!’

[Illustration:  CHARLES CROSSING THE BROOK.]

“Sure enough, Charles had slipped and fallen into the stream! and his companions, so frightened that they hardly knew what they did, took to their heels, and ran as fast as they could toward home!”

“Poor Charley! he was drowned, then?” said Robert.