The boys rather reluctantly consented.  The next day the master heard the case, and settled it so far as it related to the two boys.  It was easily settled in the morning, for they had had time to get calm, and were, after sleeping away their anger, rather ashamed of the whole affair, and very desirous to have it forgotten.

That day, when the hour for the transaction of general business came, the teacher stated to the school that it was necessary to take some measures to provide each boy with a nail for his hat.  In order to show that it was necessary, he related the circumstances of the quarrel which had occurred the day before.  He did this, not with such an air and manner as to convey the impression that his object was to find fault with the boys, or to expose their misconduct, but to show the necessity of doing something to remedy the evil which had been the cause of so unpleasant an occurrence.  Still, though he said nothing in the way of reproof or reprehension, and did not name the boys, but merely gave a cool and impartial narrative of the facts, the effect, very evidently, was to bring such quarrels into discredit.  A calm review of misconduct, after the excitement has gone by, will do more to bring it into disgrace than the most violent invectives and reproaches directed against the individuals guilty of it at the time.

“Now, boys,” continued the master, “will you assist me in making arrangements to prevent the recurrence of all temptations of this kind hereafter?  It is plain that every boy ought to have a nail appropriated expressly to his use.  The first thing to be done is to ascertain whether there are enough for all.  I should like, therefore, to have two committees appointed:  one to count and report the number of nails in the entry, and also how much room there is for more; the other to ascertain the number of scholars in school.  They can count all who are here, and, by observing the vacant desks, they can ascertain the number absent.  When this investigation is made, I will tell you what to do next.”

The boys seemed pleased with the plan, and the committees were appointed, two members on each.  The master took care to give the quarrelers some share in the work, apparently forgetting, from this time, the unpleasant occurrence which had brought up the subject.

When the boys came to inform him of the result of their inquiries, he asked them to make a little memorandum of it in writing, as he might forget the numbers, he said, before the time came for reading them.  The boys brought him, presently, a rough scrap of paper, with the figures marked upon it.  He told them he should forget which was the number of nails, and which the number of scholars, unless they wrote it down.

“It is the custom among men,” said he, “to make out their report, in such a case, fully, so that it would explain itself; and I should like to have you, if you are willing, make out yours a little more distinctly.”