A short distance along the road was a row of small houses, and Mrs. Gray knew by sight many of the people who lived there. One family named Snow had very often attracted her notice. It consisted of the father and mother and eight children. A very unruly family they were, but the fact gave the mother little concern. She took things "easy," and contented herself with putting the children out of doors when they "bothered" her, or giving an occasional whipping all round when needed. She didn't believe in much punishment, and therefore passed over falsehoods and small thefts and fits of temper, as necessary faults with children. "They would come right some day," she said. The elder ones kept as much as possible out of her sight in play hours, and she did not know half the mischief they did. There was one of the elder boys named Jim, who teased Ben a great deal. Jim found out that Ben had been a very poor boy, and had earned his living by selling matches, and it was a grand opportunity for him to turn tormentor. He would take off his cap to Ben as he passed him in the road, and say--"Have you got any matches to sell to-day, I'm wanting a light for my pipe." And then when Ben reddened and looked angry, he would make a low bow, and say--"I beg your honour's pardon, I must have made a mistake; I see you are a grand gentleman with a new suit on." This sort of thing was very hard for Ben to bear; he had never been mocked at before. And one day, after Jim had been speaking in this way, Ben said to Kit-- "I'm going to pay him out, Kit. I shall give him something he'll _never_ forget." "What will you give him, Ben, dear; something nice to make him sorry?" she asked. "That's the trouble," muttered Ben, moodily. "I oughtn't to fight now. I've promised not to. And of course I want to please Jesus, but I _can't_ bear it." Kit put her arms round the boy's neck and kissed him, and the anger melted away from his face. "P'haps Jim will soon turn into a good boy," she said. "Let us ask Jesus to make him sorry." "That's the best way after all," answered Ben, as he returned her kiss. It was a bright sunny morning when Ben parted with Kit at the gate, and started for school for the first time. "Be sure and watch for me when I come home," he said. Kit promised, and off he ran waving to her and the mother as long as he could. Jim Snow attended the same school, and as he had been learning to read for three or four years, he was in one of the higher classes. After the master had examined Ben, he placed him at the top of the infant class. But he patted his head kindly and said, "You look a sharp boy, study hard and I will put you up higher." Ben would not have thought so much about being in the low class, for he was very anxious to get on, but when he raised his eyes, there was Jim looking through the glass partition of the next classroom at him, sneering and putting out his tongue and causing the others to laugh.