第10章

thepotatodidnotgoround，andthesquashwasverylumpy；buttheguestsappearedpolitelyunconsciousofthesetrifles；andthemasterandmistressofthehouseclearedthetablewithappetitesthatanyonemightenvythem。

Thejoyofskimmingajug-fullofcreammitigatedtheanguishfeltforthelossofthepies，andAsia’sdespisedcakeprovedatreasureinthewayofdessert。

“ThatisthenicestlunchIeverhad；can’tIdoiteveryday？“askedDaisyasshescrapedupandatetheleavingsallround。

“Youcancookthingseverydayafterlessons，butIpreferthatyoushouldeatyourdishesatyourregularmeals，andonlyhaveabitofgingerbreadforlunch。To-day，beingthefirsttime，Idon’tmind，butwemustkeepourrules。Thisafternoonyoucanmakesomethingforteaifyoulike，“

saidMrs。Jo，whohadenjoyedthedinner-partyverymuch，thoughnoonehadinvitedhertopartake。

“DoletmemakeflapjacksforDemi，helovesthemso，andit’ssuchfuntoturnthemandputsugarinbetween，“criedDaisy，tenderlywipingayellowstainoffAnnabella’sbrokennose，forBellahadrefusedtoeatsquashwhenitwaspresseduponherasgoodfor“lumatism，“acomplaintwhichitisnowondershesufferedfrom，consideringthelightnessofherattire。

“ButifyougiveDemigoodies，alltheotherswillexpectsomealso，andthenyouwillhaveyourhandsfull。“

“Couldn’tIhaveDemicomeuptoteaalonejustthisonetime？AndafterthatIcouldcookthingsfortheothersiftheyweregood，“proposedDaisy，withasuddeninspiration。

“Thatisacapitalidea，Posy!Wewillmakeyourlittlemessesrewardsforthegoodboys，andIdon’tknowoneamongthemwhowouldnotlikesomethingnicetoeatmorethanalmostanythingelse。Iflittlemenarelikebigones，goodcookingwilltouchtheirheartsandsoothetheirtempersdelightfully，“

addedAuntJo，withamerrynodtowardthedoor，wherestoodPapaBhaer，surveyingthescenewithafacefullofamusement。

“Thatlasthitwasforme，sharpwoman。Iacceptit，foritistrue；

butifIhadmarriedtheeforthycooking，heart’sdearest，Ishouldhavefaredbadlyalltheseyears，“answeredtheprofessor，laughingashetossedTeddy，whobecamequiteapoplecticinhisendeavorstodescribethefeasthehadjustenjoyed。

Daisyproudlyshowedherkitchen，andrashlypromisedUncleFritzasmanyflapjacksashecouldeat。Shewasjusttellingaboutthenewrewardswhentheboys，headedbyDemi，burstintotheroomsnuffingtheairlikeapackofhungryhounds，forschoolwasout，dinnerwasnotready，andthefragranceofDaisy’ssteakledthemstraighttothespot。

AprouderlittledamselwasneverseenthanSallyasshedisplayedhertreasuresandtoldtheladswhatwasinstoreforthem。Severalratherscoffedattheideaofhercookinganythingfittoeat，butStuffy’sheartwaswonatonce。NatandDemihadfirmfaithinherskill，andtheotherssaidtheywouldwaitandsee。Alladmiredthekitchen，however，andexaminedthestovewithdeepinterest。Demiofferedtobuytheboileronthespot，tobeusedinasteam-enginewhichhewasconstructing；andNeddeclaredthatthebestandbiggestsaucepanwasjustthethingtomelthisleadinwhenheranbullets，hatchets，andsuchtrifles。

Daisylookedsoalarmedattheseproposals，thatMrs。Jothenandtheremadeandproclaimedalawthatnoboyshouldtouch，use，orevenapproachthesacredstovewithoutaspecialpermitfromtheownerthereof。Thisincreaseditsvalueimmenselyintheeyesofthegentlemen，especiallyasanyinfringementofthelawwouldbepunishedbyforfeitureofallrighttopartakeofthedelicaciespromisedtothevirtuous。

Atthispointthebellrang，andtheentirepopulationwentdowntodinner，whichmealwasenlivenedbyeachoftheboysgivingDaisyalistofthingshewouldliketohavecookedforhimasfastasheearnedthem。

Daisy，whosefaithinherstovewasunlimited，promisedeverything，ifAuntJowouldtellherhowtomakethem。ThissuggestionratheralarmedMrs。Jo，forsomeofthedisheswerequitebeyondherskill­；wedding-cake，forinstance，bull’s-eyecandy；andcabbagesoupwithherringsandcherriesinit，whichMr。Bhaerproposedashisfavorite，andimmediatelyreducedhiswifetodespair，forGermancookerywasbeyondher。

Daisywantedtobeginagaintheminutedinnerwasdone，butshewasonlyallowedtoclearup，fillthekettlereadyfortea，andwashoutherapron，whichlookedasifshehadaChristmasfeast。Shewasthensentouttoplaytillfiveo’clock，forUncleFritzsaidthattoomuchstudy，evenatcookingstoves，wasbadforlittlemindsandbodies，andAuntJoknewbylongexperiencehowsoonnewtoyslosetheircharmiftheyarenotprudentlyused。

EveryonewasverykindtoDaisythatafternoon。Tommypromisedherthefirstfruitsofhisgarden，thoughtheonlyvisiblecropjustthenwaspigweed；Natofferedtosupplyherwithwood，freeofcharge；Stuffyquiteworshippedher；Nedimmediatelyfelltoworkonalittlerefrigeratorforherkitchen；andDemi，withapunctualitybeautifultoseeinonesoyoung，escortedhertothenurseryjustastheclockstruckfive。Itwasnottimeforthepartytobegin，buthebeggedsohardtocomeinandhelpthathewasallowedprivilegesfewvisitorsenjoy，forhekindledthefire，ranerrands，andwatchedtheprogressofhissupperwithintenseinterest。

Mrs。Jodirectedtheaffairasshecameandwent，beingverybusyputtingupcleancurtainsalloverthehouse。

“AskAsiaforacupofsourcream，thenyourcakeswillbelightwithoutmuchsoda，whichIdon’tlike，“wasthefirstorder。

Demitoredownstairs，andreturnedwiththecream，alsoapuckered-upface，forhehadtasteditonhisway，andfounditsosourthathepredictedthecakeswouldbeuneatable。Mrs。Jotookthisoccasiontodeliverashortlecturefromthestep-ladderonthechemicalpropertiesofsoda，towhichDaisydidnotlisten，butDemidid，andunderstoodit，asheprovedbythebriefbutcomprehensivereply：

“Yes，Isee，sodaturnssourthingssweet，andthefizzlingupmakesthemlight。Let’sseeyoudoit，Daisy。“

“Fillthatbowlnearlyfullofflourandaddalittlesalttoit，“continuedMrs。Jo。

“Ohdear，everythinghastohavesaltinit，seemstome，“saidSally，whowastiredofopeningthepill-boxinwhichitwaskept。

“Saltislikegood-humor，andnearlyeverythingisbetterforapinchofit，Posy，“andUncleFritzstoppedashepassed，hammerinhand，todriveuptwoorthreenailsforSally’slittlepanstohangon。

“Youarenotinvitedtotea，butI’llgiveyousomecakes，andIwon’tbecross，“saidDaisy，puttingupherflourylittlefacetothankhimwithakiss。

“Fritz，youmustnotinterruptmycookingclass，orI’llcomeinandmoralizewhenyouareteachingLatin。Howwouldyoulikethat？“saidMrs。

Jo，throwingagreatchintzcurtaindownonhishead。

“Verymuch，tryitandsee，“andtheamiableFatherBhaerwentsingingandtappingaboutthehouselikeamammothwoodpecker。

“Putthesodaintothecream，andwhenit’fizzles，’asDemisays，stiritintotheflour，andbeatitupashardaseveryoucan。Haveyourgriddlehot，butteritwell，andthenfryawaytillIcomeback，“andAuntJovanishedalso。

Suchaclatterasthelittlespoonmade，andsuchabeatingasthebattergot，itquitefoamed，Iassureyou；andwhenDaisypouredsomeontothegriddle，itroselikemagicintoapuffyflapjackthatmadeDemi’smouthwater。Tobesure，thefirstonestuckandscorched，becausesheforgotthebutter，butafterthatfirstfailureallwentwell，andsixcapitallittlecakesweresafelylandedinadish。

“IthinkIlikemaple-syrupbetterthansugar，“saidDemi，fromhisarm-chairwherehehadsettledhimselfaftersettingthetableinanewandpeculiarmanner。

“ThengoandaskAsiaforsome，“answeredDaisy，goingintothebath-roomtowashherhands。

Whilethenurserywasemptysomethingdreadfulhappened。Yousee，Kithadbeenfeelinghurtalldaybecausehehadcarriedmeatsafelyandyetgotnonetopayhim。Hewasnotabaddog，buthehadhislittlefaultsliketherestofus，andcouldnotalwaysresisttemptation。Happeningtostrollintothenurseryatthatmoment，hesmeltthecakes，sawthemunguardedonthelowtable，andneverstoppingtothinkofconsequences，swallowedallsixatonemouthful。Iamgladtosaythattheywereveryhot，andburnedhimsobadlythathecouldnotrepressasurprisedyelp。

Daisyheardit，ranin，sawtheemptydish，alsotheendofayellowtaildisappearingunderthebed。Withoutawordsheseizedthattail，pulledoutthethief，andshookhimtillhisearsflappedwildly，thenbundledhimdown-stairstotheshed，wherehespentalonelyeveninginthecoal-bin。

CheeredbythesympathywhichDemigaveher，Daisymadeanotherbowlfulofbatter，andfriedadozencakes，whichwereevenbetterthantheothers。

Indeed，UncleFritzaftereatingtwosentupwordthathehadnevertastedanysonice，andeveryboyatthetablebelowenviedDemiattheflapjackpartyabove。

Itwasatrulydelightfulsupper，forthelittleteapotlidonlyfelloffthreetimesandthemilkjugupsetbutonce；thecakesfloatedinsyrup，andthetoasthadadeliciousbeef-steakflavor，owingtocook’susingthegridirontomakeiton。Demiforgotphilosophy，andstuffedlikeanycarnalboy，whileDaisyplannedsumptuousbanquets，andthedollslookedonsmilingaffably。

“Well，dearies，haveyouhadagoodtime？“askedMrs。Jo，comingupwithTeddyonhershoulder。

“Averygoodtime。Ishallcomeagainsoon，“answeredDemi，withemphasis。

“I’mafraidyouhaveeatentoomuch，bythelookofthattable。“

“No，Ihaven’t；Ionlyatefifteencakes，andtheywereverylittleones，“protestedDemi，whohadkepthissisterbusysupplyinghisplate。

“Theywon’thurthim，theyaresonice，“saidDaisy，withsuchafunnymixtureofmaternalfondnessandhousewifelypridethatAuntJocouldonlysmileandsay：

“Well，onthewhole，thenewgameisasuccessthen？“

“Ilikeit，“saidDemi，asifhisapprovalwasallthatwasnecessary。

“Itisthedearestplayevermade!“criedDaisy，huggingherlittledish-tubassheproposedtowashupthecups。“Ijustwisheverybodyhadasweetcookingstovelikemine，“sheadded，regardingitwithaffection。

“Thisplayouttohaveaname，“saidDemi，gravelyremovingthesyrupfromhiscountenancewithhistongue。

“Ithas。“

“Oh，what？“askedbothchildreneagerly。

“Well，IthinkwewillcallitPattypans，“andAuntJoretired，satisfiedwiththesuccessofherlasttraptocatchasunbeam。

CHAPTERVIAFIREBRAND

“Please，ma’am，couldIspeaktoyou？Itissomethingveryimportant，“

saidNat，poppinghisheadinatthedoorofMrs。Bhaer’sroom。

Itwasthefifthheadwhichhadpoppedinduringthelasthalf-hour；

butMrs。Jowasusedtoit，soshelookedup，andsaid，briskly，­；

“Whatisit，mylad？“

Natcamein，shutthedoorcarefullybehindhim，andsaidinaneager，anxioustone，­；

“Danhascome。“

“WhoisDan？“

“He’saboyIusedtoknowwhenIfiddledroundthestreets。Hesoldpapers，andhewaskindtome，andIsawhimtheotherdayintown，andtoldhimhowniceitwashere，andhe’scome。“

“But，mydearboy，thatisratherasuddenwaytopayavisit。“

“Oh，itisn’tavisit；hewantstostayifyouwilllethim!“saidNatinnocently。

“Well，Idon’tknowaboutthat，“beganMrs。Bhaer，ratherstartledbythecoolnessoftheproposition。

“Why，Ithoughtyoulikedtohavepoorboyscomeandlivewithyou，andbekindto’emasyouweretome，“saidNat，lookingsurprisedandalarmed。

“SoIdo，butIliketoknowsomethingaboutthemfirst。Ihavetochoosethem，becausetherearesomany。Ihavenotroomforall。IwishIhad。“

“ItoldhimtocomebecauseIthoughtyou’dlikeit，butifthereisn’troomhecangoawayagain，“saidNat，sorrowfully。

Theboy’sconfidenceinherhospitalitytouchedMrs。Bhaer，andshecouldnotfindthehearttodisappointhishope，andspoilhiskindlittleplan，soshesaid，­；

“TellmeaboutthisDan。“

“Idon’tknowanything，onlyhehasn’tgotanyfolks，andhe’spoor，andhewasgoodtome，soI’dliketobegoodtohimifIcould。“

“Excellentreasonseveryone；butreally，Nat，thehouseisfull，andIdon’tknowwhereIcouldputhim，“saidMrs。Bhaer，moreandmoreinclinedtoproveherselfthehavenofrefugeheseemedtothinkher。

“Hecouldhavemybed，andIcouldsleepinthebarn。Itisn’tcoldnow，andIdon’tmind，Iusedtosleepanywherewithfather，“saidNat，eagerly。

SomethinginhisspeechandfacemadeMrs。Joputherhandonhisshoulder，andsayinherkindesttone：

“Bringinyourfriend，Nat；Ithinkwemustfindroomforhimwithoutgivinghimyourplace。“