The boys looked rather anxiously at one another, but continued silent.
"There is a great objection to this plan from the fact that a boy is sometimes necessarily absent, and by this rule he will lose his recess with the rest, so that the innocent will be punished with the guilty."
"I should think, sir," said William, "that those who are necessarily tardy might be excused."
"Yes, I should be very glad to excuse them, if I could find out who they are."
The boys seemed to be surprised at this remark, as if they thought it would not be a difficult matter to decide.
"How can I tell?" asked the master.
"You can hear their excuses, and then decide."
"Yes," said the teacher: "but here are fifteen or twenty boys tardy this morning; now how long would it take me to hear their excuses, and understand each case thoroughly, so that I could really tell whether they were tardy from good reasons or not?"
No answer.
"Should you not think it would take a minute apiece?"