nt authority to be not
worth one cent. The owner was of course indignant, and he went at once
to Oscar, and demanded a return of the collar and comb. But Oscar
laughed at the proposal.

"A bargain is a bargain," said he, "and there can't be any backing out,
after it's all settled. You agreed to the trade, and now you must
stick to it."

"But it was n't a fair bargain," said the other boy; "you told me the
ring was gold, and it is nothing but brass."

"No, I did n't tell you it was gold," replied Oscar. "You imagined
that. And I did n't tell you it was the one I wore either,--you
imagined that too. It was my other ring that I said was gold, and I
told you it cost two dollars, and so it did. I never told you this
ring was gold,--I recollect perfectly about it."

"Well, you know I supposed it was gold, or I would n't have traded for
it," replied the boy; "and besides, you made me think it was gold,
whether you really said it was or not."

"That was your look-out," said Oscar. "When a man sells a thing, he is
n't obliged to run it down. You must look out for yourself when you
make a bargain--that's what I do."

"I should think you did," replied the other; "and I guess I shall
remember your advice, if I ever trade with you again. There's your old
ring: now give me back my collar and comb," he continued, handing the
ring to Oscar.

"I shan't do any such thing," said Oscar, and he refused to take the
ring, and turned upon his heel, leaving the other boy in no very
pleasant state of mind.

"Then you 're a great cheat and a swindler," cried the victim,
gathering courage as Oscar retreated.

"And you 're a little greeny," replied Oscar, with a loud laugh.

Oscar had prepared his mind for this explosion of indignation, and
though he did not care much about it, he was glad it was over with. He
regarded the transaction which led to it as a shrewd business
operation, to be chuckled over, rather than repented of; and he had no
idea of spoiling it all, by undoing the bargain.

In Oscar's school, it was customary for the first class (of which he
was a member) to devote the first half hour of every Monday morning to
a lesson in morals. In these lessons, the duties which we owe to God,
to ourselves, and to one another, were explained and enforced.
Although a text-book was used, the teacher did not confine himself to
it, in the recitations, but mingled oral instruction with that
contained in the printed lessons,