and came out from their hiding-place, and began to look around for a buildingspot. They chose a tree which stood in Mr. Freeman's garden, and began to collect materials for a nest. If their mother had been there to tell them that spring had not come yet, they would have believed her, and would not have commenced building.

Isaac saw one of these birds with a mouthful of straw, and pretty soon the other came along with a mouthful of wool. He called Mary, and pointed them out to her. The children then ran to their mother, making the gravel-stones fly merrily behind their feet.

both ex

"Mother, mother!" they claimed, "spring has come certainly, for the robins are building their nests, and they know."

"Poor little things! I am sorry for them. They will lose their labour. There will be snow and hard frosts yet. If they

get their nests done, and have eggs, they

will be frozen and destroyed," said Mrs. Freeman.

But, mother, they must know; it must be spring," said Isaac. His mother was grieved that her son should dispute her word so plainly and rudely, and made him no reply.

Isaac and Mary went out again to observe the birds. They had laid the foundation of their nest on a limb in the appletree. They worked very fast, and anon one would perch himself on the top of the tree, and sing a few notes, and then at his work again.

"Mary," said Isaac, "there is no doubt but that spring has come; let us make our garden, and plant our flower-seeds."

"I think we had better ask mother," said Mary.

"No, no. She will say that spring has not come, and perhaps will forbid our working in the ground."

Mary rather unwillingly yielded to his wishes. She knew that she ought not to do anything which it was probable her mother would forbid, if it were known to her. She knew that this was disobedience of the heart, seen and disapproved of God. But her own desires and her brother's wishes caused her to yield to the temptation.

They got their tools and prepared to make their gardens. Isaac used a spade, and Mary a hoe. Both worked very

hard. Isaac's coat was soon off, and

thrown on the ground.

"Mother would not let you do that if she knew it," said Mary.

"She has not said I shouldn't," said Isaac. Here was another example of disobedience of the heart.

Mary soon found her bonnet too warm, and she laid it aside, and worked bareheaded.

When the ground was prepared, as

they thought, for the seed, Isaac put on his coat and Mary her bonnet, and they went to their mother, and asked her for their flower-seeds. These they had gathered, and put up the last summer with great care.

“Your seeds will never come up; they will rot in the ground, and you will lose them."

"The robin is building his nest," said Isaac.

Their mother, thinking it would be best to let them suffer the penalty of their folly, gave them their seeds. They had nearly finished planting them, when night approached, and their mother called them in, for fear they should take cold.

They were very tired, and went early to bed. They went to sleep, intending to rise very early in the morning, and finish planting their garden.

Isaac awoke first in the morning, and was tempted to rise, but found he could

not stir his limbs without great pain. He called to Mary, who slept in the adjoining room. She did not answer him; but after some time she came into the room, carrying her head as carefully as if it was made of glass, and she was afraid of breaking it.

She moved her lips, but did not speak.

66

Why don't you speak, and what do you hold your head so for ?"

She shook her hand, and coming close to him, said with difficulty,in a whisper, "I've got such a cold that I can't speak, and such a sore neck that I can't turn my head."

"That's comfortable, now," said Isaac ; "I've got such a cold that I can't move hand or foot without great pain. But draw aside the curtain, and see how it looks out-doors."

Mary did so.

With a good many

"ohs" and "ahs," he raised himself up

in bed, so that he could get a view of the

E