came home, only we did not walk along directly; we played
about a little from one side of the road to the other, and then we went
under the great hemlock-tree, to see if we could not find another
hemlock-seed."

"Another hemlock-seed?" said his father.

"Yes, sir," said Rollo; "I suppose it is a hemlock-seed."

"What was it? a sort of a cone?"

"Yes, sir," said Rollo; "with ridges upon it."

Now it is true that pines, firs, and other evergreens bear a sort of
cone, which contains their seed; and Rollo's father thought, from
Rollo's description, that it was one of these cones which Rollo had
found. In fact, the cone was somewhat similar in shape, though, if he
had shown it to his father, he would have known immediately that it was
a very different thing. Rollo put his hand into his pocket to show the
supposed hemlock-seed to his father, but it was not there. He had left
it out in the play room.

"Very well," said his father, "I don't know that I ever saw the cone of
the hemlock; but, very probably, this is one of them. But go on, about
the pocket-book."

"Well, sir,--when we got home, I took out the medicines, but the
pocket-book was nowhere to be found; and I have been back with James,
and we have looked all along the road, and under the hemlock-tree, and
we have inquired at the apothecary's; but we cannot find it any where."

"How much money was there in the wallet?" said his father.

"Half a dollar, and a little more," said Rollo.

Rollo's father felt somewhat relieved at finding that the loss was,
after all, not very large. He placed confidence in Rollo's account of
the facts, and having thus ascertained how the case stood, he began to
consider what was to be done.

"It is a case of bailment," said he to Rollo, "and the question is,
whether you are liable."

"A case of _what_?" said Rollo.

"Bailment," said his father. "When one person intrusts another with his
property for any purpose, it is called _bailing_ it to him. The wallet
and the money were bailed to you. The law relating to such transactions
is called _the law of bailment_. And the question is, whether, according
to the law of bailment, you ought to pay for this loss."

Rollo seemed surprised at such a serious and legal view of the subject
being taken; he waited, however, to hear what more his father had to
say.

"I don't suppose," continued his father, "that Sarah will commence an
action against you; but law is generally justice, and to