下载辰思小说免费APP
“Wakeup，Demi，dear!Iwantyou。“
“Why，I’vejustgonetobed；itcan’tbemorningyet；“andDemiblinkedlikealittleowlashewakedfromhisfirstsoundsleep。
“It’sonlyten，butyourfatherisill，andwemustgotohim。OmylittleJohn!mypoorlittleJohn!“andAuntJolaidherheaddownonthepillowwithasobthatscaredsleepfromDemi’seyesandfilledhisheartwithfearandwonder；forhedimlyfeltwhyAuntJocalledhim“John，“
andweptoverhimasifsomelosshadcomethatlefthimpoor。Heclungtoherwithoutaword，andinaminuteshewasquitesteadyagain，andsaid，withatenderkissasshesawhistroubledface，；
“Wearegoingtosaygood-bytohim，mydarling，andthereisnotimetolose；sodressquicklyandcometomeinmyroom。ImustgotoDaisy。“
“Yes，Iwill；“andwhenAuntJowasgone，littleDemigotupquietly，dressedasifinadream，andleavingTommyfastasleepwentawaythroughthesilenthouse，feelingthatsomethingnewandsorrowfulwasgoingtohappen；somethingthatsethimapartfromtheotherboysforatime，andmadetheworldseemasdarkandstillandstrangeasthosefamiliarroomsdidinthenight。AcarriagesentbyMr。Lauriestoodbeforethedoor。Daisywassoonready，andthebrotherandsisterheldeachotherbythehandallthewayintotown，astheydroveswiftlyandsilentlywithauntandunclethroughtheshadowyroadstosaygood-bytofather。
NoneoftheboysbutFranzandEmilknewwhathadhappened，andwhentheycamedownnextmorning，greatwastheirwondermentanddiscomfort，forthehouseseemedforlornwithoutitsmasterandmistress。BreakfastwasadismalmealwithnocheeryMrs。Jobehindtheteapots；andwhenschool-timecame，FatherBhaer’splacewasempty。Theywanderedaboutinadisconsolatekindofwayforanhour，waitingfornewsandhopingitwouldbeallrightwithDemi’sfather，forgoodJohnBrookewasmuchbelovedbytheboys。
Teno’clockcame，andnoonearrivedtorelievetheiranxiety。Theydidnotfeellikeplaying，yetthetimedraggedheavily，andtheysataboutlistlessandsober。Allatonce，Franzgotup，andsaid，inhispersuasiveway，；
“Lookhere，boys!let’sgointoschoolanddoourlessonsjustasifUnclewashere。Itwillmakethedaygofaster，andwillpleasehim，I
know。“
“Butwhowillhearussaythem？“askedJack。
“Iwill；Idon’tknowmuchmorethanyoudo，butI’mtheoldesthere，andI’lltrytofillUncle’splacetillhecomes，ifyoudon’tmind。“
Somethinginthemodest，seriouswayFranzsaidthisimpressedtheboys，for，thoughthepoorlad’seyeswereredwithquietcryingforUncleJohninthatlongsadnight，therewasanewmanlinessabouthim，asifhehadalreadybeguntofeelthecaresandtroublesoflife，andtriedtotakethembravely。
“Iwill，forone，“andEmilwenttohisseat，rememberingthatobediencetohissuperiorofficerisaseaman’sfirstduty。
Theothersfollowed；Franztookhisuncle’sseat，andforanhourorderreigned。Lessonswerelearnedandsaid，andFranzmadeapatient，pleasantteacher，wiselyomittingsuchlessonsashewasnotequalto，andkeepingordermorebytheunconsciousdignitythatsorrowgavehimthanbyanywordsofhisown。Thelittleboyswerereadingwhenastepwasheardinthehall，andeveryonelookeduptoreadthenewsinMr。Bhaer’sfaceashecamein。ThekindfacetoldtheminstantlythatDemihadnofathernow，foritwaswornandpale，andfulloftendergrief，whichlefthimnowordswithwhichtoanswerRob，asherantohim，saying，reproachfully，；
“Whatmadeyougoandleavemeinthenight，papa？“
Thememoryoftheotherfatherwhohadlefthischildreninthenight，nevertoreturn，madeMr。Bhaerholdhisownboyclose，and，foraminute，hidehisfaceinRobby’scurlyhair。Emillaidhisheaddownonhisarms，Franz，wenttoputhishandonhisuncle’sshoulder，hisboyishfacepalewithsympathyandsorrow，andtheotherssatsostillthatthesoftrustleofthefallingleavesoutsidewasdistinctlyheard。
Robdidnotclearlyunderstandwhathadhappened，buthehatedtoseepapaunhappy，soheliftedupthebenthead，andsaid，inhischirpylittlevoice，；
“Don’tcry，meinVater!wewereallsogood，wedidourlessons，withoutyou，andFranzwasthemaster。“
Mr。Bhaerlookedupthen，triedtosmile，andsaidinagratefultonethatmadetheladsfeellikesaints，“Ithankyouverymuch，myboys。Itwasabeautifulwaytohelpandcomfortme。Ishallnotforgetit，Iassureyou。“
“Franzproposedit，andwasafirst-ratemaster，too，“saidNat；andtheothersgaveamurmurofassentmostgratifyingtotheyo
