When the big boy had told the little one to take the cherry, he then robbed him of it, and immediately betrayed him by telling the master.

Now which do you think was the worst ?" When a great number of voices vociferated, "The big one." I then inquired, if they thought we had such children in our school?
the general reply was 'No;' but the scrutiny among themselves was redoubled.

To this I rejoined, "I am sorry to say such children are now sitting among you in the gallery." At this crisis the little one burst into tears, on which the children said, "Please, sir, that's one of them, for his face is so red, and he cries." I answered, "I am sorry it is so," and called the culprit down with "Come here, my dear, and sit by the side of me until we examine into it." This was followed by the outcry, "Please, sir, we have found the other, he hangs his head down, and his face looks so white." This child was then called down in the same mild manner to sit on the other side of me.

I then told them, that they would find, when they became men and women, that in our courts of law, witnesses of what was done were called, and as the elder boy had seen the young one take the cherry, it was necessary and desireable to hear what he had to say.

On being desired to stand up, I therefore said, "Did you see him take the cherry ?" To which he promptly replied, "Yes." The next inquiry was, "What did he do with it ?" To this he was silent, on which the little one, not being able to contain himself, called out, "He took it from me, and ate it." All eyes were now turned to the big one, and all felt convinced that he was the most guilty, whilst the confidence of the little one increased by the prospect of having justice done him, as he previously feared that being accused by the elder one, he should be condemned without ceremony.
Finding that the elder one had no more to say, it only remained to hear the defence of the young one, who, sensible of having done what was wrong, said, in broken accents, "He told me to take it,--he hit my hand,--and he ate the cherry." To which it was necessary to give the admonition, That he never ought to do wrong, though required to do so by others; and that such a defence would avail him nothing were he a man.