he enjoyed more than many a rich boy does the splendid furniture and
pictures in his father's house.

One beautiful summer afternoon he was going, with his canes on his
shoulder, through the public promenade on the banks of the little
bay around which was the public walk. The waves looked so blue, and
the air was so delicious, that he was resolved he would treat
himself to a row upon the sparkling waters; so he hired a little
boat, and then got some long branches from the trees on the shore,
and stuck them all around the edges of his boat, and tied them
together by their tops, so as to make an arbor in the boat, and got
in and rowed himself about, whistling all the tunes he knew for his
music, to his heart's content. He went alone, for he had no
companion that he liked; and he would have none other.

At last what should he see but his father, walking on the bank.

Henry knew that his father would be very angry with him, for he was
a severe man; but he determined to bear his punishment, let it be
what it would, patiently; for he knew, when he went, that his father
would not like it; and yet he said, in telling this story to a
friend, "I was so happy, and this pleasure was so innocent, that I
could not feel as sorry as I ought to feel."

Henry bore his punishment like a brave boy.

It was too bad for the poor fellow to have no pleasures; nothing but
work all the time. This was especially hard for him, for no one
loved amusement better than he.