"Yes, I know he is," said James.
"Well," said Jonas, "now why not let him remain mistaken?"
"Why,—I don't know," said James.
"He isn't willing to be convinced, is he, that a balloon is as big as a house?"
"No," said James, "he is not."
"Then why don't you let him remain unconvinced? Why should you insist on setting him right, when he don't want to be set right?"
"And you, Nathan, suppose that James is mistaken, in thinking that the balloon is so big."
"Yes," said Nathan, "and that men can get into it, and go up in the air."
"Well, now, if he wants to believe that balloons are so big, why are you not willing that he should? Why should you insist upon it that he should know that they are smaller?"
"Because I know," said Nathan, very positively, "that they are small; and, besides, the paper would not be strong enough to bear a man."