Again he heard the leaves rattle, and he felt sure
that it could not be the wind. So he pushed aside the long leafy
branches of the trees, and passed beneath. And what did he find there?
Three little boys. Two were fast asleep in each other's arms, but the
third was awake.
"What are you doing there, my children?" asked the teacher. "We have
come to sleep here," said the boy. "And why do you sleep here; have
you no home?" "Oh, yes," said the lad, "but if we sleep here, we are
sure to be ready when the school bell rings in the morning." "And do
your parents know about it?" "Mine do," said the lad, "but these
little boys have no parents; they are orphans."
You know the nights in the South Sea Islands are not cold and damp
like ours, but as the teacher thought a heavy rain would fall in the
night, he roused the orphans, and led the three little boys into the
large porch of the house where they might rest in safety. He was happy
to find that they were some of his scholars, and that they loved their
school. What would these little Islanders think if they could look
from their distant homes into some of our schools and see how many
late comers there are!
* * * * *
THE PLUM BOYS.
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