Josey was silent.  He perceived that Jonas’s charge against him was just.

“Besides,” continued Jonas, “there are some other reasons why Oliver should command, rather than you.  First he understands more of farmer’s work, being more accustomed to it; secondly, he is older.”

“No,” interrupted Josey, “he isn’t older.  I’m the oldest.”

“Are you?” said Jonas.

“Yes,” replied Josey.  “I’m two months older than he is.”

Oliver had so much more prudence and discretion, and being, besides, a little larger than Josey, made Jonas think that he was older.

“Well,” said Jonas, “at any rate, he has more judgement and experience, and he certainly obeys better.  So you may go back to your work, and let Oliver take the command, and then, after a little while, if Oliver says that you have obeyed him well, I’ll try the experiment of letting you, Josey, command.”

The boys accordingly went back, and finished loading up the old General.  Oliver took the direction, and Josey obeyed very well.  Now and then he would forget for a moment, and begin to argue; but Josey would submit pretty readily, for he was very desirous that Jonas would let him command next time; and he thought that he would not allow him to command until he had learned to obey.

They had the two sleds loaded nearly at the same time, and then went down.  When they were going back after the second load, they all got on to Jonas’s sled, which was forward, to ride, leaving the old General to follow with his sled.  He was so well trained that he walked along very steadily.  Oliver fastened the reins to one of the stakes, so that they should not get down under the horse’s feet.  The boys all got together upon the forward sled, in order that they might talk with one another as they were going back to the woods.

“Now, Josey,” said Jonas, “we will let you have the command for the next trip, and, while we are going back, I will give you both some instructions.”

“About obeying?” said Josey.

“Yes, and about commanding too,” said Jonas.  “It requires rather more skill to know how to command, than how to obey; to know how to direct work, than to know how to execute it.  A good director, in the first place, takes care to plan wisely, and he feels a responsibility about the work, and a desire to have it go on to good advantage.  If some men build a way, and, after it is finished, it tumbles down, the man who had charge of the work would feel more concerned about it than any of the others, because the chief responsibility comes upon him.  So with your work,—­if you have the command, and you and Oliver idle away the time, and when my sled is loaded, yours has but little wood in it, you would be more to blame than Oliver.”

“What, if I didn’t play any more than Oliver?”

“Yes,” said Jonas, “because you are responsible.  It is your duty to be industrious, and it is also your duty to see that Oliver is industrious, if you are the director,—­so that you neglect two duties.