“Yes, sir,” said Rollo, rather faintly.
“Then, it seems to me that there was a tacit agreement on your part, that if the children would form the society and help you make the collection, you would submit to whatever arrangements they might make about the officers and the charge of the cabinet. You, in fact, bailed the cabinet to the society.”
“Yes, sir,” said the children.
“And as the bailment was for your advantage, as well as theirs, you ought not to have taken possession of the property again, until a fair opportunity had been afforded to accomplish the purpose of the bailment, that is, the collection of a cabinet by the society. So, you see, you fell into the same fault in respect to the society, that Henry did in regard to you in the case of the dipper.”
The children were silent; but they all perceived the justice of what Rollo’s father had said.
“And the society have a claim upon you, Rollo, for compensation for the disappointment and trouble you have caused them by taking away the cabinet.”
Rollo looked rather serious.
“O, we don’t care about it,” said Lucy.
“Well,” said his father, “if the society release their claim upon you, as you did yours upon Henry, very well. I hope, at all events, you will all go on pleasantly after this.”