So Rollo sat still, and did not molest Nathan, but only looked on and saw him touch the little nail to the bar, and leave it hanging there. Rollo knew it was a magnet, for he had heard of magnets, though he had never before had an opportunity of seeing one. As Nathan found that Rollo was not going to take the magnet away from him, he soon ceased to appear afraid of him, and presently he let Rollo have the magnet in his hands. Rollo said he only wanted to look at it a moment, to see what made the nail stick on.
He examined the steel bar carefully. It was not quite a foot long, and was shaped like a common flat ruler; only, instead of being straight from end to end, it was swelled out a little along in the middle. On looking at the bar very attentively, Rollo observed some very fine, hair-like lines, crossing each other, so as to produce the appearance of fine net-work. Rollo supposed that this was what caused the magnet to take up the nail. He observed that there was one place, near the middle of the bar, where this net-work was more distinct and strong than in the other parts of the bar, and so he put the nail there, expecting that it would be attracted very strongly. But he was surprised at observing that it was not attracted there at all. He then tried it at different places, all along the bar, and he found that it was not attracted any where in the middle, but only at the two ends.
While he was wondering what could be the cause of this, he heard the front door open, and he knew that his father had come home. So he jumped up and ran off into the entry, Nathan following him, to show his father the magnet. His father was busy putting away his coat and hat, and told the boys to go into the parlor, and he would come in, in a moment, and see it. When he came in, he sat down before the fire, and took the magnet, Rollo and Nathan standing by his side, and looking on with eager curiosity.
Rollo's father examined the magnet from end to end, very carefully, for some time, without speaking. At length, he said,
"It is an old file."
"An old file!" said Rollo.
"Yes," said his father. "Some of Jonas's work, I suppose."
"Yes, sir," replied Rollo; "at least it is Jonas's magnet."
"There you see the marks," continued his father, pointing to the net-work, "of the old file teeth. Jonas ground them nearly out."
"Are those the marks of the file teeth?" said Rollo. "I thought it was the magnetism."
"No," said his father, smiling, "those are the traces of the file teeth, undoubtedly. You may go and ask Jonas how he got his magnet."
So away went Rollo and Nathan in pursuit of Jonas. They found him in the kitchen, just arranging his wood for the morning fires. They asked him where he got his magnet, and Jonas replied as follows:-
"Why, the other day, I went into town with your father's watch, to get a new crystal put in; and when I was at the watchmaker's, I saw a curious-shaped piece of iron hanging up. I asked the man what it was. He said it was a magnet, that he kept to touch needles. Then he gave me a nail, and let me see how the magnet would attract it. He told me, too, that if I had a knife, and would rub my knife on the magnet, the knife would attract, too; and so I did rub it, and I found that my knife would attract the nail, though not very strong. Then I asked him if any piece of iron would attract, after it was rubbed upon the magnet; and he said that iron would not, but that any piece of steel would. He told me that if I would bring a larger piece of steel, when I came after the watch, he would rub it for me, and then I should have a larger magnet. I told him I had not any steel. But he said any old file would do, and that I might grind the sides and edges a little, and make it smooth.
"So, when I came home, I found some old files in the barn. Some were three-cornered, and some were flat. I thought the flat would be the best shape, and I asked your father if he would give me one of them. He said he would; and so I ground the ends square, and the sides smooth, upon the grindstone. Then, when I went after the watch, the man rubbed it for me, and it makes a very good magnet."
Then Rollo and Nathan went back, and repeated this story to their father.
"Very well," said their father; "that was a very good way to get a magnet. I remember giving Jonas the file; but I did not know what he wanted it for."
"I think a magnet is a very curious thing," said Rollo. "See how the nail sticks to it!"
"There are a great many other things curious about it," said his father, "besides that."
"What?" said Rollo.
"I should want some other apparatus to show you," replied his father.
"And can't you get the other apparatus?"
"I don't know. Perhaps mother might get it. Yes, I'll tell you what we will do. I will name some things which mother may prepare, and you may get them together upon the table in the kitchen, when they have got the kitchen all in order. Then I will come out, and give you all, out there, a lecture upon magnetism."
Rollo and Nathan were exceedingly pleased with this plan; and even Rollo's mother looked somewhat gratified. She said she did not know much about magnetism, and she meant to go out into the kitchen herself, and hear the lecture.
"And what things shall we get?" said Rollo.
"Two or three needles," replied his father, "some fine, and some coarse; some thread, a saucer nearly full of water, a cork, the sand-box off of my table, and a sheet of white paper. Put them all in good order upon the table, and set the chairs around it. Then, when all is ready, come and tell me."
So Rollo's mother put down her book and went to help Rollo collect the articles which his father had said he should require. She began to look into her needle book for the needles and thread, while Rollo went for the sand-box. When Rollo came back with the sand-box and the sheet of paper in his hand, he found Nathan with his high chair, at the kitchen door, trying to get in.
"What are you doing here, Nathan?" said Rollo.
"I want to get my high chair in," he replied.
The truth was, that Nathan, having learned from the conversation what was going on, was eager to secure a good seat for himself, and so he was attempting to drag out the high chair which was kept in the parlor for him to sit up to the table in.
Rollo, as he happened to feel rather good-natured than otherwise, just then, after putting down his things, helped Nathan get his chair through the door, and placed it up at the kitchen table, which stood out in the middle of the floor. He then went into a closet, and opened a little drawer, where he knew corks were kept, and brought out one or two, selecting the cleanest and softest that he could find. When he came back, he found Nathan, pouring out some black sand, from the sand-box, upon the sheet of paper.
"Now, Nathan," exclaimed Rollo, running up to him, and seizing the sand-box, "you are a very naughty boy." And he attempted to take away the sand-box violently.
But Nathan, though he knew very well that he was doing wrong, did not seem fully disposed to admit Rollo's authority to set him right by violence. He resisted; and, in the struggle, the table was pushed away, and the water in the saucer spilled over. The water ran along under the sheet of paper. Nathan, seeing the mischief that had been done, was a little frightened, and released his hold. Rollo then took up the paper, which had sand upon the upper side, and water dripping off from the under side, saying,
"There, Nathan, now see what you have done!"
"I didn't do it," said Nathan.
"You did," said Rollo.
"I didn't," said Nathan.
Hereupon, Jonas came up to the table to see what was the matter. Each of the boys told his story.
"Now we are in pretty trouble," said Jonas; "we thought we were going to have a fine lecture; instead of that, there are two boys to be punished, and wet paper to be dried."
"Punished?" said Rollo.
"Yes," said Jonas, "Nathan for touching the sand-box, and you for touching him."
"Why, he was pouring out all the sand," said Rollo, "and I was only trying to stop him."