He preferred, if he was going to be teacher, that they should not be in the habit of expecting him to give reasons for all his directions.

So he simply expressed his decision upon the subject, by saying,-- "You may do just as you please about making me teacher; but, if you put me into the office, you must expect to have to obey." "That's right, Jonas," said the farmer's wife: "I am glad to see you make 'em mind." It was settled, without any further discussion, that Jonas's plan in regard to the writing should be adopted, and that his scholars would obey his directions in other things, whatever they might be.

Jonas then proceeded as follows:-- "Now, you see that, if we go on so three evenings, you will all have got three lessons, and the fourth evening we will have for recitation.

I will hear you spell, and examine your writing, and see if your sums are done right." Jonas's exposition of the plan of his school was here interrupted by the farmer's wife, who, as she sat at the end of the settle towards the fire, had her face somewhat turned towards the window, and she saw a light at a distance near the horizon.
"What light is that ?" said she.
Jonas and all his school rose, and went to the window to see.
The window looked towards the pond.

They looked off across a sort of bay, beyond which there was a long point of land,--the one which the boys had had to sail around when they went to mill.