The word of interdiction was uttered, but Andrew could not give up his sweet little friend; and the word was therefore disregarded.  Stealthily, to avoid punishment, he went to her but watchful eyes were upon him, and he was soon brought back.  Gently and earnestly his mother would chide his disobedience; harshly his father would punish it—­but all was of no avail.

“Where is Andrew?” asked Mr. Howland, on returning home one evening from his store, and not seeing the bright little fellow in the room with his mother.  This was on the occasion of his introduction to the reader.

“I don’t know.  He was here just now,” replied Mrs. Howland.

“I saw him a little while ago playing on the steps with Emily Winters,” said the nurse, who had come recently into the family, and was not aware of the prohibition that existed in regard to the child she had mentioned.

“Is it possible!” exclaimed Mr. Howland, angrily.  Then he added in an excited voice, “go and bring him home immediately!”

The nurse left the room and soon returned with the child.  In his face was a look of blended fear, anger and resolution.

“Where have you been, sir?” sternly asked Mr. Howland.

The child made no answer.

“Do you hear me, sir?”

A slight motion of shrinking and alarm might have been seen in the little fellow as the angry voice of his father fell upon his ears.  But he did not look up or make a reply.

“Will you answer me?  Stubborn boy!” exclaimed Mr. Howland, now catching hold tightly of Andrew’s arm.

“Why don’t you answer your father, my child?” said the mother, in a voice that was tender and appealing.  The tone reached the boy’s heart, and he lifted his large blue eyes from the floor and fixed them on his father’s threatening countenance.

“Say!  Where have you been?” repeated Mr. Howland.

“To see Emily,” returned Andrew.

“Haven’t I forbidden you to go there?”

The child’s eyes sunk again to the floor.

“Say!  Haven’t I forbidden you to go there?”

But there was no answer.

“Do you hear me?”

“Andrew!  Andrew! why don’t you answer your father?” came in distressed and tremulous tones from his mother’s lips.

Mr. Howland was about turning to chide sharply his wife for this interference, when Andrew again raised his eyes and said—­

“Yes, sir.”

“Then why have you disobeyed me?”

The boy’s eyes fell again, and he remained silent.

“I’ll break you of this if I break your heart!” said Mr. Howland severely, and, as he spoke, he almost lifted the child from the floor with his strong arm as he led him from the room.  A groan issued from the mother’s heart and she covered her face and wept.