"But stop a minute longer," said James, "and tell us how it is about the balloon; we want to know." "O no," said Jonas, "you don't want to know; you want to _conquer_." "What do you mean by that?" said Nathan. "Why, you don't really wish to learn any thing; but you want to have me decide the case, because each of you hopes that I shall decide in his favor. You want the pleasure of a victory, not the pleasure of acquiring knowledge." "No, Jonas," said Nathan, "we do really want to know." "Well," said Jonas, "I can't stop now to tell you; perhaps I will this evening; but I advise you always, after this, not to contradict people, and dispute with them, when they say things that you don't believe. Do as the gentleman did, when the man said the moon was a fire." "What did he do?" said Rollo. "Why, he let him say it as much as he wanted to." "Tell us all about it," said James. "Well, then," said Jonas, "once there was a man, and he saw the moon coming up behind the trees, and thought it was a large house burning up. He went along a little way, and he met a vulgar fellow, riding in a carriage." "Riding in a carriage!" repeated Rollo, astonished. "Yes," said Jonas, "handsomely dressed. 'Sir,' said the man, 'see that great fire!' "'It isn't a fire, you fool,' said the vulgar fellow; 'it's nothing but the moon.' "'The moon! no it isn't,' said the man; 'it is a monstrous great fire. Don't you see how it blazes up?' "'It is not a fire, I tell you,' said the vulgar fellow. "'I tell you 'tis,' said the man. "'You don't know any thing about it,' said the vulgar fellow. "'And you don't know the moon from a house on fire,' said the man, and so passed on. "A minute or two after this, he met a gentleman driving a team." "A gentleman driving a team!" said James. "Yes," said Jonas, "with a frock on. He was tired and weary, having driven all day. The man asked him if he did not see that house on fire. "'Ah,' said the gentleman, 'I thought it was the moon.' "'No,' said the man, 'it is a house on fire.' "'Well,' said the gentleman, 'I am very sorry if it is. I hope they'll be able to put it out!' "So saying, he started his team along, and bade the man good evening." Jonas then, having finished his story, stepped out of the shed, and went along towards the barn; Nathan called out after him to say,-- "Well, Jonas, I don't understand how the gentleman came to be driving a team all day." Jonas did not reply to this, but only began to laugh heartily, and to walk on. Nathan turned back into the shed, saying, he did not see what Jonas was laughing at. The boys wanted very much to have the question about the balloon settled; and, after some further conversation on the subject, they concluded to go in and ask their mother. So they all three went in. Rollo proposed this plan, and he led the way into the house. He found his mother sitting in the parlor at her work. "Well, boys," said she, "have you got tired of your play?"