e it up to him?"

"Why--yes," said Phonny. In saying this, however, Phonny seemed to
speak quite reluctantly and doubtfully.

"That's right," said Beechnut. "Each of you is willing to give up to
the other. But now before we can tell on which side the giving up is
to be, we must first decide on which side the right is. So that you
see we have got the quarrel into a very pretty shape now. The question
is, which of you can have the pleasure and privilege of giving up to
the other, instead of which shall be _compelled_ to give up against
his will. So you see it is now a very pleasant sort of a quarrel."

"No," said Phonny, "it is not any such thing. A quarrel is not
pleasant, ever."

"Oh, yes," said Beechnut, "one of the greatest pleasures of life is to
quarrel. We can not possibly get along, without quarrels. The only
thing that we can do is to get them in as good shape as possible."

"Have you got a pencil and paper in your shop?" continued Beechnut.

"Yes," said Phonny.

"Bring them out to me."

Phonny brought out a pencil and a small piece of paper, and held them
up to Beechnut in the wagon.

"Now boys," said Beechnut, "are you willing to submit this case to Mr.
Wallace, for his decision?"

"Yes," said Phonny.

"I am too," said Stuyvesant.

"Then I'll write a statement of it," said Beechnut.

Beechnut accordingly placed the paper upon the seat of the wagon
beside him, and began to write. In a few minutes he held up the paper
and read as follows:

"A. has a certain contract which he is willing to offer to
either B. or C. whichever has the prior right to it. He
first offered it to B. but before B. accepted the offer C.
made application for it. C. immediately accepted the offer,
before A. decided upon B.'s application. Now the question is
whose claim is best, in respect simply of priority,--the one
to whom it was first _offered_, or the one who first
signified his willingness to accept of it."

"There," said Beechnut, "there is a simple statement of the case."

"I don't understand it very well," said Phonny.

"Don't you?" said Beechnut; "then I'll read it again."

So Beechnut began again.

"A. has a certain contract----"

Here Beechnut paused and looked up at the boys.

"A. means Beechnut," said Stuyvesant.

"Then why don't you _say_ Beechnut?" said Phonny.

"And the contract," continued Stuyvesant, "is the agreement about the
hens."

"Which he is wil