“Oscar,” he said, “why did you not shovel the snow from the sidewalk, as I told you to, yesterday morning?”

“I tried to,” replied Oscar; “but it was trodden down so hard, I could n’t get it off.”

“But you should have done it before it got hardened.  I told you to clear a passage-way, yesterday morning.  That would have saved the rest from getting trod down, and at noon you could have finished the job.  Why did you not do as I told you to?”

“I did begin to make a path,” replied Oscar; “but I did n’t have time to finish it, and when I got home from school, the snow was all trodden down hard.”

“Did n’t have time?” said his father; “what do you tell me such a story as that for?  You could have made all the path that was necessary in fifteen or twenty minutes, if you had been disposed to do it.  By neglecting to obey me, you have got me into a pretty scrape.  I have had to go before the Police Court, this forenoon, and pay a fine and costs, amounting to over five dollars, for your negligence and disobedience.  And now,” he added, “you may try once more, and see if you can do as I tell you to.  As soon at you have done dinner, take the hatchet and shovel, and go to work upon the sidewalk; and don’t you leave it until the ice is all cleared off.  As sure as you do, I will dust your jacket for you when I come home to-night, so that you will not forget it for one while.”

Oscar thought it best to obey his father this time.  It being Saturday, school did not keep, in the afternoon, and he had ample time to complete the task, although it was time which he intended to spend in a different way.  Ralph, however, volunteered his assistance, and before the middle of the afternoon, the task was finished.

CHAPTER X.

APPEARANCES.

Those who impose upon the weak, sometimes get punished for their meanness in an unexpected manner.  This truth was very effectually impressed upon Oscar, one March morning, as he was going to school.  The streets were in a very bad condition, being several inches deep with a compound of snow, water, and mud, familiarly known as “slosh.”  Just before reaching the school-house, he overtook two little boys with a sled, and throwing himself upon it, he compelled them to drag him along.  It was hard sledding, and the boys naturally objected to drawing such a heavy load; but Oscar kept his seat, and compelled them to go on.  For a few minutes, he rode along very quietly, although his span of youngsters, who were continually muttering to themselves, did not seem to enjoy the sport as well as he did.  But, by a dexterous movement, they soon balanced the debtor and creditor account.  Giving the sled a sudden jerk and lurch, in one of the sloppiest places they had met with, their lazy passenger was thrown backward into the mud, and imprinted a full length picture of himself in the yielding material.  The incident happened almost in front of the school-house, and as Oscar rose from the mud, he was greeted by the shouts and laughter of a hundred boys who witnessed the scene.  Several men, also, who were passing at the time, joined in the laughing chorus; and one, who had observed the whole affair from the beginning, told Oscar the boys had served him just right.