James was ready with his skates at the time appointed, and about to leave the house. "Where now, James?" asked his father. "I'm going to skate awhile on the canal, father." "Well, it's a bright evening, but don't stay late, and don't go on the river." Just then James's little sister, Marion, who was ready to go to bed, shouted after him, "Stop, James! Give me a kiss," and holding up her rosebud mouth, in a plump face, from which the laughing eyes were shining, she received his good-night kiss, and he went out. As he passed the window, he saw, through the half-drawn curtains, little Marion by her mother, with the Bible. The father had laid his Book down, and they sat reverently listening while his petition went up to heaven. It was a beautiful picture. Poor Jamie! With what different feelings would he have looked upon it, had he then known what was to happen within the next two hours! He crossed the field before the house, and was soon on the canal, and gliding swiftly towards the river, from which the sound of merry voices already reached his ear; and as he wheeled splendidly, just at the entrance of the canal, the boys saw him, and came bearing down upon him like a fleet of swift ships before the wind. "Hurrah, James!" cried a dozen of them, as they joined company on the canal. There they amused themselves awhile, racing, skating backward, and cutting all sorts of fanciful figures upon the ice, until George gave the word, "Now for the island!" and with loud shouts they shot out together upon the river, all but James. "I must leave you now," he said. "Oh, James, don't!" cried several at once. "Now, see here, James," said George; "what's the use of being so set? Go down with us this time." "Father said, 'Don't go on the river.'" "Well, as to that, you've been on the river two or three times. Look at your marks." James now saw that, in the excitement of their sport, he had repeatedly rushed out of the canal quite across the channel of the river. He wanted to go with the boys. He didn't really think there was much danger, and the discovery that he had already unwittingly broken his father's command, did not help him in his hour of weakness and temptation. The boys all clamoured for him to join them. James slowly glided out of the canal, stood still a moment, and the tempter prevailed. "Well, I'll go down this once--mind you, only once," and he darted like an arrow to the front, for he was the best skater in the company, and soon was far in advance of the rest. Alas! none of the boys knew of the murderous "breathing-hole" which had opened that day in the ice in the channel, and now lay right in James's path, waiting to receive him; and the first notice they had of its existence was a despairing cry of terror from him as he plunged in.