The boy was ordered by his master to look after a certain part of the house, and also to take care of a little garden.

One day he carelessly broke a valuable gold-fish jar much prized by the family.

His master naturally became enraged and reproached him for his negligence.

The young man coolly told him that if he would come to his father's house he could replace the broken vessel by making his own selection from his father's collection of gold-fish jars.

This irritated the master, who thought that the lad was adding insult to injury.