"Well," replied Jonas, "you were both wrong."
"Both wrong! O Jonas!" said James.
"Yes, both wrong," replied Jonas; and so saying, he was going away to his work.
"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.