wrath.
“It was ever so long ago. I’d rather have my head cut off than do it
now,” and Emil mildly laid Ned on his back instead of cuffing
him, as he would have felt it his duty to do on any less solemn
occasion.
“How could you?” said Demi, appalled at the idea.
“I was hopping mad at the time, and thought I shouldn’t mind a bit,
rather like it perhaps. But when I’d hit uncle one good crack,
everything he had ever done for me came into my head all at once
somehow, and I couldn’t go on. No sir! If he’d laid me down and
walked on me, I wouldn’t have minded, I felt so mean,” and Emil
gave himself a good thump in the chest to express his sense of
remorse for the past.
“Nat’s crying like anything, and feels no end sorry, so don’t let’s say
a word about it; will we?” said tender-hearted Tommy.
“Of course we won’t, but it’s awful to tell lies,” and Demi looked as
if he found the awfulness much increased when the punishment
fell not upon the sinner, but his best Uncle Fritz.
“Suppose we all clear out, so Nat can cut upstairs if he wants to,”
proposed Franz, and led the way to the barn, their refuge in
troublous times.
Nat did not come to dinner, but Mrs. Jo took some up to him, and
said a tender word, which did him good, though he could not look
at her. By and by the lads playing outside heard the violin, and said
among themselves: “He’s all right now.” He was all right, but felt
shy about going down, till opening his door to slip away into the
woods, he found Daisy sitting on the stairs with neither work nor
doll, only her little handkerchief in her hand, as if she had been
mourning for her captive friend.
“I’m going to walk; want to come?” asked Nat, trying to look as if
nothing was the matter, yet feeling very grateful for her silent
sympathy, because he fancied everyone must look upon him as a
wretch.
“Oh yes!” and Daisy ran for her hat, proud to be chosen as a
companion by one of the big boys.
The others saw them go, but no one followed, for boys have a great
deal more delicacy than they get credit for, and the lads
instinctively felt that, when in disgrace, gentle little Daisy was
their most congenial friend.
The walk did Nat good, and he came home quieter than usual, but
looking cheerful again, and hung all over with daisy-chains made
by his little playmate while he lay on the grass and told her stories.
No one said a word about the scene of the morning, but its effect
was all the more lasting for that reason, perhaps. Nat tried his very
best, and found much help, not only from the earnest little prayers
he prayed to his Friend in heaven, but also in the patient care of the
earthly friend whose kind hand he never touched without
remembering that it had willingly borne pain for his sake.
CHAPTER V PATTYPANS
“What’s the matter, Daisy?”
“The boys won’t let me play with them.”
“Why not?”
“They say girls can’t play football.”
“They can, for I’ve done it!” and Mrs. Bhaer laughed at the
remembrance of certain youthful frolics.
“I know I can play; Demi and I used to, and have nice times, but he
won’t let me now because the other boys laugh at him,” and Daisy
looked deeply grieved at her brother’s hardness of heart.
“On the whole, I think he is right, deary. It’s all very well when you
two are alone, but it is too rough a game for you with a dozen
boys; so I’d find some nice little play for myself.”
“I’m tired of playing alone!” and Daisy’s tone was very mournful.
“I’ll play with you by and by, but just now I must fly about and get
things ready for a trip into town. You shall go with me and see
mamma, and if you like you can stay with her.”
“I should like to go and see her and Baby Josy, but I’d rather come