THE QUESTION. 47

“Yes, they do, sometimes,” said Rollo.

“Well, if they do,” said Lucy, “ they have
nothing to do with managing the ship.”

“T am afraid you don’t, either of you,
want to know what my opinion is,” said
Rollo’s father.

“Why, yes, we do,” said they both.

‘‘It seems to me, on the other hand, that,
instead of wishing to get my opinion, you
are each endeavoring to make me adopt your
own.”

The children were silent. They per-
ceived that it was as Rollo’s father had rep-
resented: what each really wanted was the
victory, not the truth.

“Now,” continued Rollo’s father, ‘I am
rather in a delicate situation; for I should
like very well to talk with you about this
subject ; but if I should say I thought such
knowledge was useful for a girl, that would
be giving you a triumph, Rollo, and it would
hurt Lucy’s feelings ; and on the other hand,
if I say it is not useful, it will give her a
triumph, and hurt yours.” |

The children were silent. In fact they
did not know what to say.

“It is not polite or kind for friends to get