HOW A TURTLE TAUGHT A LESSON. 



153 





John and the Mud-turtle. 



ished, and the horror spread over his whole counte- 

 nance. There lay the turtle on the rock, upon its 

 back, as he had left it its extended legs and head 

 shriveled and dry, scorched by the blazing suns of 

 four August weeks. 



There was no need of gentle pity now no oppor- 

 tunity for showing humane kindness to a dumb, harm- 

 less creature. No more would it gladly hide itself in 

 the protecting earth, or hasten in fright from the 

 dreaded hand. What vain struggles to regain its feet ! 

 What weariness and despair ! What agony when the 

 noon suns beat down ! What pangs of slow starva- 

 tion ! As all this passed through John's mind, the 

 rock seemed no longer the old, familiar spot. 



