"Why, Mr.Minturn!" said Ellis; "wouldn't you think it strange if Howard should do so ?" "Well, no; I don't know that I should have any reason to be astonished." Howard looked not only surprised, but very much hurt.

"I'm sure, father," he said, in a voice which trembled a little, "I didn't know I was so rude to you as all that." "No," said Mr.Minturn, "you never have been, but I rather expect you to commence.

I shall have no reason to be surprised if you and Ellis and Will Bailey, and a host of others, all go to making fun of what your fathers say to you after this." The boys seemed perfectly astonished.

"_I_, for one," said Ellis Holbrook proudly, "think too much of _my_ father, to be in any such danger." "You _do_ ?" said Mr.Minturn; "well, now, I _am_ amazed.

I supposed you would be the very worst one." Howard left the table and came over to where his father had seated himself.
"Father, what _do_ you mean ?" he asked, in an earnest, anxious tone.
"Why, I mean," said his father, "that I was in that room over there just before tea, and I heard the discussion which came up between you boys, and I came to the conclusion that boys who thought it such a little matter to make fun of solemn words which God has said to them, need not be expected to show much respect for what their father or anybody else said." A perfect stillness settled over the boys at these words, and not only Ellis Holbrook's cheeks, but his whole face glowed.
Howard came to the rescue at last, very stammeringly: "But, father--I don't think--do you think--I mean--well, sir, you know Ellis and the rest of us didn't mean to make fun of what God said.