“You are the best boy in the world,” promptly answered Daisy; adding, as truth compelled her to do, “You do hurt me sometimes, but you don’t mean to.”
“Put away the bats and things, and mind what you are about, my hearties. No fighting allowed aboard this ship,” said Emil, who rather lorded it over the others.
“How do you do, Madge Wildfire?” said Mr. Bhaer, as Nan came in with the rest to supper. “Give the right hand, little daughter, and mind thy manners,” he added, as Nan offered him her left.
“The poor little hand! what has it been doing to get those blisters?” he asked, drawing it from behind her back, where she had put it with a look which made him think she had been in mischief.
Before Nan could think of any excuse, Daisy burst out with the whole story, during which Stuffy tried to hide his face in a bowl of bread and milk. When the tale was finished, Mr. Bhaer looked down the long table towards his wife, and said with a laugh in his eyes,--
“This rather belongs to your side of the house, so I won’t meddle with it, my dear.”
Mrs. Jo knew what he meant, but she liked her little black sheep all the better for her pluck, though she only said in her soberest way,--
“Do you know why I asked Nan to come here?”
“To plague me,” muttered Stuffy, with his mouth full.
“To help me make little gentlemen of you, and I think you have shown that some of you need it.”
Here Stuffy retired into his bowl again, and did not emerge till Demi made them all laugh by saying, in his slow wondering way,--
“That’s just it, she needs help as much as you, and I expect you to set her an example of good manners.”
“Is she going to be a little gentleman too?” asked Rob.
“She’d like it; wouldn’t you, Nan?” added Tommy.
“No, I shouldn’t; I hate boys!” said Nan, fiercely, for her hand still smarted, and she began to think that she might have shown her courage in some wiser way.
“I am sorry you hate my boys, because they _can_ be well-mannered, and most agreeable when they choose. Kindness in looks and words and ways is true politeness, and any one can have it if they only try to treat other people as they like to be treated themselves.”
Mrs. Bhaer had addressed herself to Nan, but the boys nudged one another, and appeared to take the hint, for that time at least, and passed the butter; said “please,” and “thank you,” “yes, sir,” and “no, ma’am,” with unusual elegance and respect. Nan said nothing, but kept herself quiet and refrained from tickling Demi, though strongly tempted to do so, because of the dignified airs he put on. She also appeared to have forgotten her hatred of boys, and played “I spy” with them till dark. Stuffy was observed to offer her frequent sucks of his candy-ball during the game, which evidently sweetened her temper, for the last thing she said on going to bed was,--