下载辰思小说免费APP
“Iwasonlyinfun，“saidNed。
“YouareasneakyourselftobadgerNatroundthecorner。Letmecatchyouatitagain，andI’llsouseyouintherivernexttime。Getup，andclearout!“thunderedDan，inarage。
Nedfled，dripping，andhisimpromptusitz-bathevidentlydidhimgood，forhewasveryrespectfultoboththeboysafterthat，andseemedtohavelefthiscuriosityinthebrook。AshevanishedDanjumpedoverthewall，andfoundNatlying，asifquitewornoutandboweddownwithhistroubles。
“Hewon’tpesteryouagain，Iguess。Ifhedoes，justtellme，andI’llseetohim，“saidDan，tryingtocooldown。
“Idon’tmindwhathesaysaboutmesomuch，I’vegotusedtoit，“answeredNatsadly；“butIhatetohavehimpitchintoyou。“
“Howdoyouknowheisn’tright？“askedDan，turninghisfaceaway。
“What，aboutthemoney？“criedNat，lookingupwithastartledair。
“Yes。“
“ButIdon’tbelieveit!Youdon’tcareformoney；allyouwantisyouroldbugsandthings，“andNatlaughed，incredulously。
“Iwantabutterflynetasmuchasyouwantafiddle；whyshouldn’tIstealthemoneyforitasmuchasyou？“saidDan，stillturningaway，andbusilypunchingholesintheturfwithhisstick。
“Idon’tthinkyouwould。Youliketofightandknockfolksroundsometimes，butyoudon’tlie，andIdon’tbelieveyou’dsteal，“andNatshookhisheaddecidedly。
“I’vedoneboth。Iusedtofiblikefury；it’stoomuchtroublenow；
andIstolethingstoeatoutofgardenswhenIranawayfromPage，soyouseeIamabadlot，“saidDan，speakingintherough，recklesswaywhichhehadbeenlearningtodroplately。
“ODan!don’tsayit’syou!I’dratherhaveitanyoftheotherboys，“
criedNat，insuchadistressedtonethatDanlookedpleased，andshowedthathedid，byturningroundwithaqueerexpressioninhisface，thoughheonlyanswered，；
“Iwon’tsayanythingaboutit。Butdon’tyoufret，andwe’llpullthroughsomehow，seeifwedon’t。“
SomethinginhisfaceandmannergaveNatanewidea；andhesaid，pressinghishandstogether，intheeagernessofhisappeal，；
“Ithinkyouknowwhodidit。Ifyoudo，beghimtotell，Dan。It’ssohardtohave’emallhatemefornothing。Idon’tthinkIcanbearitmuchlonger。IfIhadanyplacetogoto，I’drunaway，thoughIlovePlumfielddearly；butI’mnotbraveandbiglikeyou，soImuststayandwaittillsomeoneshowsthemthatIhaven’tlied。“
Ashespoke，Natlookedsobrokenanddespairing，thatDancouldnotbearit，and，mutteredhuskily，；
“Youwon’twaitlong，“andhewalkedrapidlyaway，andwasseennomoreforhours。
“WhatisthematterwithDan？“askedtheboysofoneanotherseveraltimesduringtheSundaythatfollowedaweekwhichseemedasifitwouldneverend。Danwasoftenmoody，butthatdayhewassosoberandsilentthatnoonecouldgetanythingoutofhim。Whentheywalkedhestrayedawayfromtherest，andcamehomelate。Hetooknopartintheeveningconversation，butsatintheshadow，sobusywithhisownthoughtsthathescarcelyseemedtohearwhatwasgoingon。WhenMrs。JoshowedhimanunusuallygoodreportintheConscienceBook，helookedatitwithoutasmile，andsaid，wistfully，；
“YouthinkIamgettingon，don’tyou？“
“Excellently，Dan!andIamsopleased，becauseIalwaysthoughtyouonlyneededalittlehelptomakeyouaboytobeproudof。“
Helookedupatherwithastrangeexpressioninhisblackeyes；anexpressionofmingledprideandloveandsorrowwhichshecouldnotunderstandthen；butrememberedafterward。
“I’mafraidyou’llbedisappointed，butIdotry，“hesaid，shuttingthebookwithnosignofpleasureinthepagethatheusuallylikedsomuchtoreadoverandtalkabout。
“Areyousick，dear？“askedMrs。Jo，withherhandonhisshoulder。
“Myfootachesalittle；IguessI’llgotobed。Good-night，mother，“
headded，andheldthehandagainsthischeekaminute，thenwen
