That was the drop too much, and Frankie commenced crying, saying, between his sobs, “I want to go home. Oh! please let’s go home.” So Joe and Will made a chair again for Frankie and started for home, leaving Ben to enjoy his wading alone. They set Frankie down by the gate, and, picking up his boots and stockings, he went into the house. “Why, Frankie Western!” exclaimed his mother, as the wet, muddy, rueful little figure stood in the sitting-room door. “Where have you been? Your new clothes are ruined.” And, carrying the speechless little fellow into the kitchen, she soon had him thoroughly washed, and put on one of his old dresses in place of the new pants and jacket which were hung up for future attention. It was a good deal of water for one day, and the crash towel was rough, and to go back into a dress and apron after wearing pants, was something of a trial, but the poor child was too tired, and too glad to be at home to care much about it. After he was dressed he sat contentedly in his chair till supper-time, then ate his bread and milk and went to bed. It was not long before he was dreaming of fishes and creeks, and muddy pants, nor _very_ long before the morning sun drove away the dreams and opened his eyes. Jumping up, he put on his stockings and boots, but pants and jacket were nowhere to be seen, nothing but the brown gingham dress and apron. “Mamma, mamma, I want my pants. Please, mamma,” he said, running into the kitchen where his mother was getting breakfast. “They must be cleaned first. Put on your dress and come to breakfast.” Her voice was so pleasant that Frankie forgot his impatience, and dressed himself quickly and quietly. After breakfast he was about to run out as usual, when his mother said, “No, Frankie. Mother wants you to stay in the house this morning. She has something to say to you.” “But I don’t want to stay, mamma,” and he walked slowly toward the door. “Frankie _must_ stay.” This was decisive, and he sat down in his chair. After his mother had finished her work, she took him into the sitting-room, and gave him a seat on a stool by her side. “Now, Frankie,” she said, “I want you to tell me just what you did and where you went yesterday afternoon.” Frankie gave a truthful account of his adventures at the creek. Then his mother said, “Did you know you were disobeying your mother, and, more than that, disobeying God?” “O mamma, I didn’t think, I wanted to go so much,” and Frankie looked as though he wanted to cry. “I know you _wanted_ to go, but you must do what is _right_, not what you _want_ to do. I will teach you a verse from the Bible that you must remember whenever you are tempted to disobey your mother. It is this: ‘Children _obey_ your parents in the Lord, for this is right.’ Can you repeat it now?”