"I did not ask you," said Jonas, "why you believed that men could not go up in balloons, but why you were so anxious to make James believe so. Why not let him be mistaken?"
"Why—because," said Nathan.
"You see, Nathan," continued Jonas, "the world is full of people that are continually mistaken; and if you go about trying to set them all right by disputing them, you'll have a hard row to hoe."
"A hard what?" said Nathan.
"A hard row to hoe," repeated Jonas. "It's never of any service to attempt to convince people that don't want to be convinced; especially if they are wrong."
"Especially if they are wrong!" repeated Rollo, in astonishment.
"Yes," replied Jonas. "The very worst time to argue with a boy, is when he is wrong, and does not want to be set right. It is a great deal harder to get along in argument with one who is right, than with one who is wrong; for the one who is wrong, disputes; the one who is right, reasons."
"Well, Jonas," said James, "which of us was disputing?"
"Both of you," said Jonas.
"Both of us," said James; "but you said that only the one who was wrong, disputed."