“What did he say to them,” said Oliver, “when he found it out?”

“He made Jack bring it round Jerry’s way, and then made Jerry draw it back again, and bring it along Jack’s way.

“When men are at work,” continued Jonas, “one acts as director, and the rest follows on, as he guides.  Then all the unimportant questions are decided promptly.”

“Well,” said Josey, “let us do so, Oliver.  I’ll be director.”

“How do they decide who shall be director?” said Oliver.

“The oldest and most experienced directs, generally; or, if one is the employer, and the others are employed by him, then the employer directs the others.  If a man wants a stone bridge built, and hires three men to do it, there is always an understanding, at the beginning, who shall have the direction of the work, and all the others obey.

“So,” continued Jonas, “if a carpenter were to send two of his men into the woods to cut down a tree for timber, without saying which of them should have the direction,—­then the oldest or most experienced, or the one who had been the longest in the carpenter’s employ, would take the direction.  He would say, ‘Let us go out this way,’ and the other would assent; or, ‘I think we had better take this tree,’ and the other would say, perhaps, ’Here’s one over here which looks rather straighter; won’t you come and look at this?’ But they would not dispute about it.  One would leave it to the other to decide.”

“Suppose,” said Josey, “one was just as old and experienced as the other.”

“Why, if there was no reason, whatever, why one should take the lead, rather than the other, then they would not either of them be tenacious of their opinion.  If one proposed to do a thing, the other would comply without making any objection, unless he had a very decided objection indeed.  So they would get along peaceably.

“Now,” continued Jonas, “boys are very apt to have different opinions, and to be very tenacious of them, and so get into disputes and difficulties when they are working together.  Therefore, when boys are set to work, it is generally best to appoint one to take charge; for they haven’t, generally, good sense enough to find out, themselves, which it is most proper should be in charge.

“For instance, now,” continued Jonas, “which of you, do you think, on the whole, is the proper one to take the direction of the work, when you are set to work together?”

“I,” said Josey, with great promptness.

Oliver did not answer at all.

“There’s one reason why you ought not to be the one,” said Jonas.

“What is it?” said Josey.

“Why, you don’t obey very well.  No person is well qualified to command, until he has learned to obey.”

“I obey,” said Josey, “I’m sure.”

“Not always,” said Jonas.  “This morning, when you were upon the haymow, and I told you both to go down, Oliver went down immediately; but you remained up, and made excuses instead of obeying.”