“And I don’t think I was in any danger.”

“I don’t think you were myself,” said his father.

“Then, why did you send me back?”

“For two reasons. First, you disobeyed me.”

“But I don’t think I came before you more than an inch.”

“Nor I,” said his father; “very likely it was not more than half an inch.”

“And was that enough to do any harm?”

“It was enough to constitute disobedience. I told you to keep back, outside of us, and by coming up even as near as we were, you showed a disposition not to obey.”

“But I forgot,” said Rollo. “I did not observe that I was so near.”