over. Suppose, now, you were accused of stealing an apple; how would
that be in the next world, think you?"

"_Hell fire_, my lord!"

"Very good indeed. Now let us suppose that you were disobedient to
your parents, or to one of them; what would happen in that case?"

"_Hell fire_, my lord!"

"Exactly; very good indeed. Now let me take another instance, and
suppose that you were sent for the milk in the morning, and took _just
a little sip_ while you were carrying it home; how would that be as
regards your future state?"

"_Hell fire_!" repeated the boy.

Upon this Clark suggested that the lad's absolute ignorance of the
nature of an oath and Divine things rendered it imprudent to call him.

"I don't know about that," said Maule; "he seems to me to be very
sound, and most divines will tell you he is right."

"He does not seem to be competent," said the counsel.

"I beg your pardon," returned the judge, "I think he is a very good
little boy. He thinks that for every wilful fault he will go to hell
fire; and he is very likely while he believes that doctrine to be most
strict in his observance of truth. If you and I believed that such
would be the penalty for every act of misconduct we committed, we