on came back the next morning. Thus, to see the lake, you
could go in the forenoon of one day, and come back in the afternoon of
the same, or you could go in the afternoon of one day, and come back in
the morning of the next.

"Which would you do?" said Mr. Holiday to Rollo.

"But, father," said Rollo, "I think it would be pleasanter to go in a
sail boat. Besides, you said that you would take me to a sail; and going
in a steamboat is not sailing."

"What is it doing?" said Mr. Holiday.

"Steaming," said Rollo. "A steamer does not sail in any sense."

Mr. Holiday smiled and then paused. He was reflecting, apparently, upon
what Rollo had been saying.

"Then, besides," said Rollo, "don't you think, father, it would be
pleasanter to go in a sail boat?"

"The first question is," said Mr. Holiday, "whether I am bound by my
promise to go with you in a sail boat, if you prefer it. I said I would
take you to a sail. Would taking you in a steamboat be a fulfilment of
that promise? Suppose we refer the question to an umpire, and see how he
will decide it."

"Yes; but, father," said Rollo, "if you think it is best to go in the
steamer, I should not insist upon the sail boat, by any means; so it is
not necessary to leave it to any umpire. I will give it up."

"I know you would be willing to give it up," said Mr. Holiday; "but then
we may as well first ascertain how the case actually stands. Let us
first determine what the promise binds me to. If it does not bind me to
go in a sail boat, then it is all right; there will be no need of any
giving up. If, on the other hand, my promise does bind me to go in a
sail boat, then you will consider whether you will release me from it or
not, if I ask it. Besides, it will amuse us to have the question
regularly decided; and it will also be a good lesson for you, in
teaching you to think and speak with precision when you make promises,
and to draw exact lines in respect to the performance of them."

"Well, sir," said Rollo; "who shall be the umpire?"

"Mr. Hall," said his father. "He is down in the dining room now, taking
tea."

Mr. Hall was a lawyer, an acquaintance of Mr. Holiday's, whom he had
accidentally met at Geneva.

"He is a lawyer," said Mr. Holiday, "and he will be a very good umpire."

"Is it a law question?" asked Rollo.

"Not exactly a law question," said Mr. Holiday, "but all such questions
require for an umpire a man who is accustomed to think precisely. That
i