The boys brought him, presently, a rough scrap of paper, with the figures marked upon it.

He told them he should forget which was the number of nails, and which the number of scholars, unless they wrote it down.
"It is the custom among men," said he, "to make out their report, in such a case, fully, so that it would explain itself; and I should like to have you, if you are willing, make out yours a little more distinctly." Accordingly, after a little additional explanation, the boys made another attempt, and presently returned with something like the following: "The committee for counting the nails report as follows: Number of nails.

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