knights swept by. One knight drew the rein of his horse, and said,

"My little man, you are almost brave enough to be a knight some day." Cedric's heart beat with joy. He said to himself, "Shall I be a knight some day? I wish I could."

That night he dreamed he was a knight. In his dream he heard his mother call to him.

He opened his eyes. It was morning. He was only poor Cedric in his stone hut.

He dressed quickly and ran to help his mother. He helped her feed the horses and He washed the dishes and swept

the cows.

the room.

Then Cedric told his mother what the knight had said to him. Do you think I shall ever be a knight, mother?"

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His mother looked at her brave, noble boy and said, Knights have many hard things to do. You are a little boy. Do kind deeds now and trust for the future."

One day the knights passed Cedric's humble home again. They were very tired. One of them stopped and called to Cedric, "My little man, will you please give me a drink?"

Cedric ran and brought him a cup of cool,

fresh water.

"Thank you," said he, "you

are as kind as a knight."

How happy Cedric was at these words!

The days passed by and winter came. When Cedric was tempted to be rude or cross he thought of the kind knight. He resolved to be good, because he thought Sir Rollin and his knights would not want him to be naughty.

II.

Two years passed by. One day Cedric's father came home and said, "Sir Rollin wants a boy to be his page. Do you think our Cedric could do the work of a page ?"

Cedric's mother said in reply, “I think he would try very hard. I want him to learn more about the knights. Perhaps he may be a knight some day."

This made Cedric very happy. His father, that very day, took Cedric to the castle.

Sir Rollin put his hands on the boy's head and asked, "Would you like to be a knight some day? Can you do hard work and be kind and brave and true ?"

"I can try, sir;" was the answer of Cedric.

Cedric was given a small room.

on a bundle of straw.

to cover him.

He had to stand obey quickly.

He slept

He had a sheep's skin His food was very simple.

straight and run rapidly and

Cedric did his duty so well that Sir Rollin learned to trust him fully. Years passed by. Cedric was almost a man. One day Sir Rollin said,

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Cedric, I wish you to carry a message to the king. It must reach him to-morrow. I am sure I can trust you to do this for me."

Cedric was very happy. He was soon ready. He mounted a noble horse and rode away. At last he came to a dense forest. It was dark and lonely. "If I am to be a knight," thought he, "I must be brave."

As he rode on he heard a growl. It was a wild boar, with eyes like fire, coming at him. Cedric had heard of this wild boar. No one was able to kill it. Cedric thought, " If I can kill it, the people will be glad."

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He lifted his spear and hurled it at the wild boar and killed it. Then he rode rapidly away. He saw a little fish on the ground. It was

"Poor

trying to get back into the water. thing," said Cedric, "I have no time to help you." Then he thought, "A knight would take time to help a poor sufferer. If I am to be a knight, I must be a helper."

He put the fish back into the water. The little fish

was glad. It swam

Cedric

swiftly away.

ace. The king lived

up

ric came to a

beautiful pal

in it. Cedric rode

and gave the king Sir Rollin's letter. The letter told the king that Cedric was brave and true. The letter also said, "Cedric wants to be a knight some day."

The king liked Cedric, and asked him to become a soldier. Cedric consented to this gladly, and served the king many years.

One day the king

knelt before the king.

The king touched him with his sword and said, "Rise, Sir Cedric." Cedric was a knight at last; and a true knight he was! He spent his years in deeds. of kindness and usefulness. He was the kind of a knight every boy can be.

"What a queer, shrill sound that is!" said James to his teacher one day as they were walking in the woods.

"That is the cry of a cicada, or locust," Isaid his teacher. "Let us try to find it."

They listened a long while, and at last they heard it again. It was just above their heads in an elm tree.

The teacher said he thought they might find one in the grass. James looked carefully until, with a shout, he cried, "Here, here is one!"