They then promised to double the number; and he was upon the point
of jumping, when he felt a smart slap on his back.

"That's what you shall have for risking your life for a few pence,"
said his father, who, unobserved by Henry, had heard what had
passed, and climbed up the wagon just in time to save Henry from
perhaps breaking his neck, or at least some of his limbs.

Henry was very fond of skating, but he had no skates. One day, when
the weather and ice were fine, he went to see the skaters. He had
only a few pence in his pocket, and he offered them for the use of a
pair of skates for a little while; but the person who had skates to
let could get more for them, and so he refused poor Henry. There was
near by, at the time, a man whose profession was gambling; and he
said to Henry, "I will show you a way by which you can double and
triple your money, if you will come with me."

Henry followed him to a little booth, in which was a table and some
chairs; and there the man taught him a gambling game, by which, in a
few minutes, he won a dollar.

Henry was going away with his money, thinking with delight of the
pleasure he should have in skating, and also of the money that would
be left to carry home to his poor father, when the gambler said to
him, "You foolish boy, why won't you play longer, and double your
dollar? You may as well have two or three dollars as one."

Henry played again, and lost not only what he had won, but the few
pence he had when he came upon the ice.