第2章

“Doyouhaveabandhere？“Nat’seyessparkled。

“Guesswedo；ajollyband，allboys；andtheyhaveconcertsandthings。

Youjustseewhathappensto-morrownight。“

Afterthispleasantlyexcitingremark，Tommyreturnedtohissupper，andNatsankintoablissfulreverieoverhisfullplate。

Mrs。Bhaerhadheardalltheysaid，whileapparentlyabsorbedinfillingmugs，andoverseeinglittleTed，whowassosleepythatheputhisspooninhiseye，noddedlikearosypoppy，andfinallyfellfastasleep，withhischeekpillowedonasoftbun。Mrs。BhaerhadputNatnexttoTommy，becausethatroly-polyboyhadafrankandsocialwaywithhim，veryattractivetoshypersons。Natfeltthis，andhadmadeseveralsmallconfidencesduringsupper，whichgaveMrs。Bhaerthekeytothenewboy’scharacter，betterthanifshehadtalkedtohimherself。

IntheletterwhichMr。LaurencehadsentwithNat，hehadsaid：

“DEARJO：Hereisacaseafteryourownheart。Thispoorladisanorphannow，sickandfriendless。Hehasbeenastreet-musician；andIfoundhiminacellar，mourningforhisdeadfather，andhislostviolin。Ithinkthereissomethinginhim，andhaveafancythatbetweenuswemaygivethislittlemanalift。Youcurehisovertaskedbody，Fritzhelphisneglectedmind，andwhenheisreadyI’llseeifheisageniusoronlyaboywithatalentwhichmayearnhisbreadforhim。Givehimatrial，forthesakeofyourownboy，TEDDY。“

“Ofcoursewewill!“criedMrs。Bhaer，asshereadtheletter；andwhenshesawNatshefeltatoncethat，whetherhewasageniusornot，herewasalonely，sickboywhoneededjustwhatshelovedtogive，ahomeandmotherlycare。BothsheandMr。Bhaerobservedhimquietly；andinspiteofraggedclothes，awkwardmanners，andadirtyface，theysawmuchaboutNatthatpleasedthem。Hewasathin，paleboy，oftwelve，withblueeyes，andagoodforeheadundertherough，neglectedhair；ananxious，scaredface，attimes，asifheexpectedhardwords，orblows；andasensitivemouththattrembledwhenakindglancefellonhim；whileagentlespeechcalledupalookofgratitude，verysweettosee。“Blessthepoordear，heshallfiddlealldaylongifhelikes，“saidMrs。Bhaertoherself，asshesawtheeager，happyexpressiononhisfacewhenTommytalkedoftheband。

So，aftersupper，whentheladsflockedintotheschoolroomformore“highjinks，“Mrs。Joappearedwithaviolininherhand，andafterawordwithherhusband，wenttoNat，whosatinacornerwatchingthescenewithintenseinterest。

“Now，mylad，giveusalittletune。Wewantaviolininourband，andIthinkyouwilldoitnicely。“

Sheexpectedthathewouldhesitate；butheseizedtheoldfiddleatonce，andhandleditwithsuchlovingcare，itwasplaintoseethatmusicwashispassion。

“I’lldothebestIcan，ma’am，“wasallhesaid；andthendrewthebowacrossthestrings，asifeagertohearthedearnotesagain。

Therewasagreatclatterintheroom，butasifdeaftoanysoundsbutthosehemade，Natplayedsoftlytohimself，forgettingeverythinginhisdelight。ItwasonlyasimpleNegromelody，suchasstreet-musiciansplay，butitcaughttheearsoftheboysatonce，andsilencedthem，tilltheystoodlisteningwithsurpriseandpleasure。Graduallytheygotnearerandnearer，andMr。Bhaercameuptowatchtheboy；for，asifhewasinhiselementnow，Natplayedawayandnevermindedanyone，whilehiseyesshone，hischeeksreddened，andhisthinfingersflew，ashehuggedtheoldfiddleandmadeitspeaktoalltheirheartsthelanguagethatheloved。

Aheartyroundofapplauserewardedhimbetterthanashowerofpennies，whenhestoppedandglancedabouthim，asiftosay：

“I’vedonemybest；pleaselikeit。“

“Isay，youdothatfirstrate，“criedTommy，whoconsideredNathisproté；gé；。

“Youshallbethefirstfiddleinmyband，“addedFranz，withanapprovingsmile。

Mrs。Bhaerwhisperedtoherhusband：

“Teddyisright：there’ssomethinginthechild。“AndMr。Bhaernoddedhisheademphatically，asheclappedNatontheshoulder，saying，heartily：

“Youplaywell，myson。Comenowandplaysomethingwhichwecansing。“

Itwastheproudest，happiestminuteofthepoorboy’slifewhenhewasledtotheplaceofhonorbythepiano，andtheladsgatheredround，neverheedinghispoorclothes，buteyinghimrespectfullyandwaitingeagerlytohearhimplayagain。

Theychoseasongheknew；andafteroneortwofalsestartstheygotgoing，andviolin，flute，andpianoledachorusofboyishvoicesthatmadetheoldroofringagain。ItwastoomuchforNat，morefeeblethanheknew；andasthefinalshoutdiedaway，hisfacebegantowork，hedroppedthefiddle，andturningtothewallsobbedlikealittlechild。

“Mydear，whatisit？“askedMrs。Bhaer，whohadbeensingingwithallhermight，andtryingtokeeplittleRobfrombeatingtimewithhisboots。

“Youareallsokind­；andit’ssobeautiful­；Ican’thelpit，“

sobbedNat，coughingtillhewasbreathless。

“Comewithme，dear；youmustgotobedandrest；youarewornout，andthisistoonoisyaplaceforyou，“whisperedMrs。Bhaer；andtookhimawaytoherownparlor，whereshelethimcryhimselfquiet。

Thenshewonhimtotellherallhistroubles，andlistenedtothelittlestorywithtearsinherowneyes，thoughitwasnotanewonetoher。

“Mychild，youhavegotafatherandamothernow，andthisishome。Don’tthinkofthosesadtimesanymore，butgetwellandhappy；

andbesureyoushallneversufferagain，ifwecanhelpit。Thisplaceismadeforallsortsofboystohaveagoodtimein，andtolearnhowtohelpthemselvesandbeusefulmen，Ihope。Youshallhaveasmuchmusicasyouwant，onlyyoumustgetstrongfirst。NowcomeuptoNurseyandhaveabath，andthengotobed，andto-morrowwewilllaysomenicelittleplanstogether。“

Natheldherhandfastinhis，buthadnotawordtosay，andlethisgratefuleyesspeakforhim，asMrs。Bhaerledhimuptoabigroom，wheretheyfoundastoutGermanwomanwithafacesoroundandcheerythatitlookedlikeasortofsun，withthewidefrillofhercapforrays。

“ThisisNurseyHummel，andshewillgiveyouanicebath，andcutyourhair，andmakeyouall’comfy，’asRobsays。That’sthebath-roominthere；

andonSaturdaynightswescruballthelittleladsfirst，andpackthemawayinbedbeforethebigonesgetthroughsinging。Nowthen，Rob，inwithyou。“

Asshetalked，Mrs。BhaerhadwhippedoffRob’sclothesandpoppedhimintoalongbath-tubinthelittleroomopeningintothenursery。

Thereweretwotubs，besidesfoot-baths，basins，douche-pipes，andallmannerofcontrivancesforcleanliness。Natwassoonluxuriatingintheotherbath；andwhilesimmeringthere，hewatchedtheperformancesofthetwowomen，whoscrubbed，cleannight-gowned，andbundledintobedfourorfivesmallboys，who，ofcourse，cutupallsortsofcapersduringtheoperation，andkepteveryoneinagaleofmerrimenttilltheywereextinguishedintheirbeds。

BythetimeNatwaswashedanddoneupinablanketbythefire，whileNurseycuthishair，anewdetachmentofboysarrivedandwereshutintothebath-room，wheretheymadeasmuchsplashingandnoiseasaschoolofyoungwhalesatplay。

“Nathadbettersleephere，sothatifhiscoughtroubleshiminthenightyoucanseethathetakesagooddraughtofflax-seedtea，“saidMrs。Bhaer，whowasflyingaboutlikeadistractedhenwithalargebroodoflivelyducklings。

Nurseyapprovedtheplan，finishedNatoffwithaflannelnight-gown，adrinkofsomethingwarmandsweet，andthentuckedhimintooneofthethreelittlebedsstandingintheroom，wherehelaylookinglikeacontentedmummyandfeelingthatnothingmoreinthewayofluxurycouldbeofferedhim。Cleanlinessinitselfwasanewanddelightfulsensation；flannelgownswereunknowncomfortsinhisworld；sipsof“goodstuff“soothedhiscoughaspleasantlyaskindwordsdidhislonelyheart；andthefeelingthatsomebodycaredforhimmadethatplainroomseemasortofheaventothehomelesschild。Itwaslikeacosydream；andheoftenshuthiseyestoseeifitwouldnotvanishwhenheopenedthemagain。Itwastoopleasanttolethimsleep，andhecouldnothavedonesoifhehadtried，forinafewminutesoneofthepeculiarinstitutionsofPlumfieldwasrevealedtohisastonishedbutappreciativeeyes。

Amomentarylullintheaquaticexerciseswasfollowedbythesuddenappearanceofpillowsflyinginalldirections，hurledbywhitegoblins，whocameriotingoutoftheirbeds。Thebattleragedinseveralrooms，alldowntheupperhall，andevensurgedatintervalsintothenursery，whensomehard-pressedwarriortookrefugethere。Nooneseemedtomindthisexplosionintheleast；nooneforbadeit，orevenlookedsurprised。

Nurseywentonhanginguptowels，andMrs。Bhaerlaidoutcleanclothes，ascalmlyasifthemostperfectorderreigned。Nay，sheevenchasedonedaringboyoutoftheroom，andfiredafterhimthepillowhehadslylythrownather。

“Won’ttheyhurt’em？“askedNat，wholaylaughingwithallhismight。

“Ohdear，no!Wealwaysallowonepillow-fightSaturdaynight。Thecasesarechangedto-morrow；anditgetsupaglowaftertheboys’baths；soIratherlikeitmyself，“saidMrs。Bhaer，busyagainamongherdozenpairsofsocks。

“Whataveryniceschoolthisis!“observedNat，inaburstofadmiration。

“It’sanoddone，“laughedMrs。Bhaer，“butyouseewedon’tbelieveinmakingchildrenmiserablebytoomanyrules，andtoomuchstudy。Iforbadenight-gownpartiesatfirst；but，blessyou，itwasofnouse。Icouldnomorekeepthoseboysintheirbedsthansomanyjacksinthebox。SoImadeanagreementwiththem：Iwastoallowafifteen-minutepillow-fighteverySaturdaynight；andtheypromisedtogoproperlytobedeveryothernight。Itriedit，anditworkedwell。Iftheydon’tkeeptheirword，nofrolic；iftheydo，Ijustturntheglassesround，putthelampsinsafeplaces，andletthemrampageasmuchastheylike。“

“It’sabeautifulplan，“saidNat，feelingthatheshouldliketojoininthefray，butnotventuringtoproposeitthefirstnight。Sohelayenjoyingthespectacle，whichcertainlywasalivelyone。

TommyBangsledtheassailingparty，andDemidefendedhisownroomwithadoggedcouragefinetosee，collectingpillowsbehindhimasfastastheywerethrown，tillthebesiegerswereoutofammunition，whentheywouldchargeuponhiminabody，andrecovertheirarms。Afewslightaccidentsoccurred，butnobodyminded，andgaveandtooksoundingthwackswithperfectgoodhumor，whilepillowsflewlikebigsnowflakes，tillMrs。Bhaerlookedatherwatch，andcalledout：

“Timeisup，boys。Intobed，everymanjack，orpaytheforfeit!“

“Whatistheforfeit？“askedNat，sittingupinhiseagernesstoknowwhathappenedtothosewretcheswhodisobeyedthismostpeculiar，butpublic-spiritedschool-ma’am。

“Losetheirfunnexttime，“answeredMrs。Bhaer。“Igivethemfiveminutestosettledown，thenputoutthelights，andexpectorder。Theyarehonorablelads，andtheykeeptheirword。“

Thatwasevident，forthebattleendedasabruptlyasitbegan­；apartingshotortwo，afinalcheer，asDemifiredtheseventhpillowattheretiringfoe，afewchallengesfornexttime，thenorderprevailed。

AndnothingbutanoccasionalgiggleorasuppressedwhisperbrokethequietwhichfollowedtheSaturday-nightfrolic，asMotherBhaerkissedhernewboyandlefthimtohappydreamsoflifeatPlumfield。CHAPTERIITHEBOYS

WhileNattakesagoodlongsleep，Iwilltellmylittlereaderssomethingabouttheboys，amongwhomhefoundhimselfwhenhewokeup。

Tobeginwithouroldfriends。Franzwasatalllad，ofsixteennow，aregularGerman，big，blond，andbookish，alsoverydomestic，amiable，andmusical。Hisunclewasfittinghimforcollege，andhisauntforahappyhomeofhisownhereafter，becauseshecarefullyfosteredinhimgentlemanners，loveofchildren，respectforwomen，oldandyoung，andhelpfulwaysaboutthehouse。Hewasherright-handmanonalloccasions，steady，kind，andpatient；andhelovedhismerryauntlikeamother，forsuchshehadtriedtobetohim。

Emilwasquitedifferent，beingquick-tempered，restless，andenterprising，bentongoingtosea，forthebloodoftheoldvikingsstirredinhisveins，andcouldnotbetamed。Hisunclepromisedthatheshouldgowhenhewassixteen，andsethimtostudyingnavigation，gavehimstoriesofgoodandfamousadmiralsandheroestoread，andlethimleadthelifeofafroginriver，pond，andbrook，whenlessonsweredone。Hisroomlookedlikethecabinofaman-of-war，foreverythingwasnautical，military，andshipshape。CaptainKydwashisdelight，andhisfavoriteamusementwastoriguplikethat