"The boy was guilty of stealing, just as much as if he had picked the man's pocket, or broken into his house.

But suppose, instead of the mistake being to the amount of ten dollars, it had only been a few cents,--how then ?" "It would have been just the same," replied the boy.
"But what if the man was very rich, and would never feel the loss, while the boy was poor, and needed the money ?" "That would have made no difference," replied Albert.
"Very good," continued the teacher; "when an honest man discovers a mistake in his own favor, he always hastens to rectify it.

He will receive only what he is entitled to.

Robert," he added, addressing an other pupil, "how is it with regard to lost articles ?" "When we find anything that has been lost," replied the boy addressed, "we should try to ascertain the owner, and return the article to him." "Is there any guilt in neglecting to do this ?" "Yes, sir, it is a kind of dishonesty." "You are right," added the teacher; "the courts often punish men for this very offence, for it is a species of theft.

And how of borrowing articles, and neglecting to return them,--is that honest ?" "It is not," replied Robert.
"Oscar," continued the teacher, "you may give your opinion of this case: suppose one of your acquaintances wants a certain article belonging to you, and by way of barter, offers you a finger-ring for it.