Rollo's Museum

sticks of wood, which they piled in various ways, so as to make houses. They took care not to pile the wood, in any case, higher than th

open part of the shed, and began to look out of doors. The sun was shining pleasantly, bu

ames. "I wish it was dry, so

id Nathan, "for it is ver

s. "If we had a balloon, we could go

"you could not get into

t?" sai

athan, "it would

ames, "a balloon is b

is not higher

it is. I have read about ba

ot in a very positive air, "my father told me him

and finally, when Rollo came out of the house, they b

igher than Nathan'

h as a house?

oon once about as high as Nathan's head, because m

be a little one; for balloons are b

don't believe it. Besides

re?" sai

r the balloons, to make

they have any f

had just come out of the house, and was going out to his work. Hearing the boys

at they had to say

can tell you something about getting along pleasantly down

it?" sa

can bear to have any body else mistaken, without contradicting them. Ja

ow he is,"

"now why not let h

n't know,"

nvinced, is he, that a bal

James, "h

nced? Why should you insist on setting him

James is mistaken, in thinkin

that men can get into i

g, why are you not willing that he should? Why should you

y, "that they are small; and, besides, the pa

en could not go up in balloons, but why you were so anxio

use," sai

that are continually mistaken; and if you go about trying to set

hat?" sai

any service to attempt to convince people that don't

re wrong!" repeated R

t want to be set right. It is a great deal harder to get along in argument with one who is right

d James, "which of

you," s

but you said that only the

Jonas, "you we

! O Jonas!"

Jonas; and so saying, he

James, "and tell us how it is abo

ou don't want to know;

mean by that?

ide the case, because each of you hopes that I shall decide in his favor. Y

Nathan, "we do rea

e you always, after this, not to contradict people, and dispute with them, when they say th

he do?"

say it as much

l about it,

ng up behind the trees, and thought it was a large house burning up. He w

iage!" repeated R

ely dressed. 'Sir,' said th

,' said the vulgar fellow;

man; 'it is a monstrous great fir

, I tell you,' sai

u 'tis,' sa

thing about it,' sa

n from a house on fire,' sai

r this, he met a gent

driving a tea

red and weary, having driven all day. The man

ntleman, 'I though

man, 'it is a

am very sorry if it is. I hope

his team along, and bad

ed out of the shed, and went along towards t

tand how the gentleman came

eartily, and to walk on. Nathan turned back into the s

ation on the subject, they concluded to go in and ask their mother. So they all three went in. Rollo prop

she, "have you got

but we want to know about b

m," said she, "

big as this hou

ey have been made

er told me, his very self, that t

as high as your head; but that was only a little one, for experiment

her? what use

em, don't they,

unt. "They could not live in them,

said

t, which hangs down below the b

not get into the ba

a dispute about i

an, with hesitation,

however, that men have often been carried up by balloons, but they never get into them. They c

t air," s

normous bag of silk, and fill it with this light air, which they make in barrels; and then, when the bag is filled, it floats away above their heads, and pulls hard upon the fastening. There is a net all over it, and the ends of the net are drawn

oes he get down

come down slowly. If he comes down too fast, or if he finds that he is coming into the water,

s it, aunt?

to carry him and his sand-bags too. Then, if he finds that he is coming down too fast, he just pour

ood plan,"

should take stones, or any other heavy, solid things, and should drop them out of his car, they might possibly fall upon s

t her work, and went out of the room; but in a few minutes she returned, bringing with her two very large, square books, with blue covers. One of them had pictures in it, a

out in the kitchen, or into the shed, if

and let Nathan hear. Then, when the plates are referre

us sit down here and read it-and then, if there is any thing

s mother, "you may sit

ding about balloons for more than an hour. There was one story of a sheep, which a man carried up in his car, under a balloon, and then let him drop, fr

STI

than's evidence? What was James's evidence? What did Jonas say when they appealed to him? What was the story that he related? Which of the boys did he finally say was wrong? Whom did the boys appeal to afterw

to co