or?" said Oliver.

"The oldest and most experienced directs, generally; or, if one is the
employer, and the others are employed by him, then the employer directs
the others. If a man wants a stone bridge built, and hires three men to
do it, there is always an understanding, at the beginning, who shall
have the direction of the work, and all the others obey.

"So," continued Jonas, "if a carpenter were to send two of his men into
the woods to cut down a tree for timber, without saying which of them
should have the direction,--then the oldest or most experienced, or the
one who had been the longest in the carpenter's employ, would take the
direction. He would say, 'Let us go out this way,' and the other would
assent; or, 'I think we had better take this tree,' and the other would
say, perhaps, 'Here's one over here which looks rather straighter; won't
you come and look at this?' But they would not dispute about it. One
would leave it to the other to decide."

"Suppose," said Josey, "one was just as old and experienced as the
other."

"Why, if there was no reason, whatever, why one should take the lead,
rather than the other, then they would not either of them be tenacious
of their opinion. If one proposed to do a thing, the other would comply
without making any objection, unless he had a very decided objection
indeed. So they would get along peaceably.

"Now," continued Jonas, "boys are very apt to have different opinions,
and to be very tenacious of them, and so get into disputes and
difficulties when they are working together. Therefore, when boys are
set to work, it is generally best to appoint one to take charge; for
they haven't, generally, good sense enough to find out, themselves,
which it is most proper should be in charge.

"For instance, now," continued Jonas, "which of you, do you think, on
the whole, is the proper one to take the direction of the work, when you
are set to work together?"

"I," said Josey, with great promptness.

Oliver did not answer at all.

"There's one reason why you ought _not_ to be the one," said Jonas.

"What is it?" said Josey.

"Why, you don't obey very well. No person is well qualified to command,
until he has learned to obey."

"I obey," said Josey, "I'm sure."

"Not always," said Jonas. "This morning, when you were upon the haymow,
and I told you both to go down, Oliver went down immediately; but you
remained up, and made excuses instead of obeying."

Josey was si