Little Men (Little Women 2)

CHAPTER VI. A FIRE BRAND

"Please, ma'am, could I speak to you? It is something very important,"said Nat, popping his head in at the door of Mrs. Bhaer's room.

It was the fifth head which had popped in during the last half-hour; butMrs. Jo was used to it, so she looked up, and said, briskly,

"What is it, my lad?"

Nat came in, shut the door carefully behind him, and said in an eager,anxious tone,

"Dan has come."

"Who is Dan?"

"He's a boy I used to know when I fiddled round the streets. He soldpapers, and he was kind to me, and I saw him the other day in town, andtold him how nice it was here, and he's come."

"But, my dear boy, that is rather a sudden way to pay a visit."

"Oh, it isn't a visit; he wants to stay if you will let him!" said Natinnocently.

"Well, I don't know about that," began Mrs. Bhaer, rather startled bythe coolness of the proposition.

"Why, I thought you liked to have poor boys come and live with you,and be kind to 'em as you were to me," said Nat, looking surprised andalarmed.

"So I do, but I like to know something about them first. I have tochoose them, because there are so many. I have not room for all. I wishI had."

"I told him to come because I thought you'd like it, but if there isn'troom he can go away again," said Nat, sorrowfully.

The boy's confidence in her hospitality touched Mrs. Bhaer, and shecould not find the heart to disappoint his hope, and spoil his kindlittle plan, so she said,

"Tell me about this Dan."

"I don't know any thing, only he hasn't got any folks, and he's poor,and he was good to me, so I'd like to be good to him if I could."

"Excellent reasons every one; but really, Nat, the house is full, andI don't know where I could put him," said Mrs. Bhaer, more and moreinclined to prove herself the haven of refuge he seemed to think her.

"He could have my bed, and I could sleep in the barn. It isn't coldnow, and I don't mind, I used to sleep anywhere with father," said Nat,eagerly.

Something in his speech and face made Mrs. Jo put her hand on hisshoulder, and say in her kindest tone:

"Bring in your friend, Nat; I think we must find room for him withoutgiving him your place."

Nat joyfully ran off, and soon returned followed by a mostunprepossessing boy, who slouched in and stood looking about him, with ahalf bold, half sullen look, which made Mrs. Bhaer say to herself, afterone glance,

"A bad specimen, I am afraid."

"This is Dan," said Nat, presenting him as if sure of his welcome.

"Nat tells me you would like to come and stay with us," began Mrs. Jo,in a friendly tone.

"Yes," was the gruff reply.

"Have you no friends to take care of you?"

"No."

"Say, 'No, ma'am,'" whispered Nat.

"Shan't neither," muttered Dan.

"How old are you?"

"About fourteen."

"You look older. What can you do?"

"'Most anything."

"If you stay here we shall want you to do as the others do, work andstudy as well as play. Are you willing to agree to that?"

"Don't mind trying."

"Well, you can stay a few days, and we will see how we get on together.Take him out, Nat, and amuse him till Mr. Bhaer comes home, when we willsettle about the matter," said Mrs. Jo, finding it rather difficult toget on with this cool young person, who fixed his big black eyes on herwith a hard, suspicious expression, sorrowfully unboyish.

"Come on, Nat," he said, and slouched out again.

"Thank you, ma'am," added Nat, as he followed him, feeling without quiteunderstanding the difference in the welcome given to him and to hisungracious friend.

"The fellows are having a circus out in the barn; don't you want to comeand see it?" he asked, as they came down the wide steps on to the lawn.

"Are they big fellows?" said Dan.

"No; the big ones are gone fishing."

"Fire away, then," said Dan.

Nat led him to the great barn and introduced him to his set, who weredisporting themselves among the half-empty lofts. A large circle wasmarked out with hay on the wide floor, and in the middle stood Demi witha long whip, while Tommy, mounted on the much-enduring Toby, prancedabout the circle playing being a monkey.

"You must pay a pin apiece, or you can't see the show," said Stuffy,who stood by the wheelbarrow in which sat the band, consisting of apocket-comb blown upon by Ned, and a toy drum beaten spasmodically byRob.

"He's company, so I'll pay for both," said Nat, handsomely, as he stucktwo crooked pins in the dried mushroom which served as money-box.

With a nod to the company they seated themselves on a couple of boards,and the performance went on. After the monkey act, Ned gave them a finespecimen of his agility by jumping over an old chair, and running upand down ladders, sailor fashion. Then Demi danced a jig with a gravitybeautiful to behold. Nat was called upon to wrestle with Stuffy, andspeedily laid that stout youth upon the ground. After this, Tommyproudly advanced to turn a somersault, an accomplishment which he hadacquired by painful perseverance, practising in private till every jointof his little frame was black and blue. His feats were received withgreat applause, and he was about to retire, flushed with pride and arush of blood to the head, when a scornful voice in the audience washeard to say,

"Ho! that ain't any thing!"

"Say that again, will you?" and Tommy bristled up like an angryturkey-cock.

"Do you want to fight?" said Dan, promptly descending from the barreland doubling up his fists in a business-like manner.

"No, I don't;" and the candid Thomas retired a step, rather taken abackby the proposition.

"Fighting isn't allowed!" cried the others, much excited.

"You're a nice lot," sneered Dan.

"Come, if you don't behave, you shan't stay," said Nat, firing up atthat insult to his friends.

"I'd like to see him do better than I did, that's all," observed Tommy,with a swagger.

"Clear the way, then," and without the slightest preparation Dan turnedthree somersaults one after the other and came up on his feet.

"You can't beat that, Tom; you always hit your head and tumble flat,"said Nat, pleased at his friend's success.

Before he could say any more the audience were electrified by three moresomersaults backwards, and a short promenade on the hands, head down,feet up. This brought down the house, and Tommy joined in the admiringcries which greeted the accomplished gymnast as he righted himself, andlooked at them with an air of calm superiority.

"Do you think I could learn to do it without its hurting me very much?"Tom meekly asked, as he rubbed the elbows which still smarted after thelast attempt.

"What will you give me if I'll teach you?" said Dan.

"My new jack-knife; it's got five blades, and only one is broken."

"Give it here, then."

Tommy handed it over with an affectionate look at its smooth handle.Dan examined it carefully, then putting it into his pocket, walked off,saying with a wink,

"Keep it up till you learn, that's all."

A howl of wrath from Tommy was followed by a general uproar, which didnot subside till Dan, finding himself in a minority, proposed that theyshould play stick-knife, and whichever won should have the treasure.Tommy agreed, and the game was played in a circle of excited faces,which all wore an expression of satisfaction, when Tommy won and securedthe knife in the depth of his safest pocket.

"You come off with me, and I'll show you round," said Nat, feeling thathe must have a little serious conversation with his friend in private.

What passed between them no one knew, but when they appeared again, Danwas more respectful to every one, though still gruff in his speech, andrough in his manner; and what else could be expected of the poor ladwho had been knocking about the world all his short life with no one toteach him any better?

The boys had decided that they did not like

him, and so they left himto Nat, who soon felt rather oppressed by the responsibility, but tookind-hearted to desert him.

Tommy, however, felt that in spite of the jack-knife transaction,there was a bond of sympathy between them, and longed to return to theinteresting subject of somersaults. He soon found an opportunity, forDan, seeing how much he admired him, grew more amiable, and by the endof the first week was quite intimate with the lively Tom.

Mr. Bhaer, when he heard the story and saw Dan, shook his head, but onlysaid quietly,

"The experiment may cost us something, but we will try it."

If Dan felt any gratitude for his protection, he did not show it, andtook without thanks all that was give him. He was ignorant, but veryquick to learn when he chose; had sharp eyes to watch what went on abouthim; a saucy tongue, rough manners, and a temper that was fierce andsullen by turns. He played with all his might, and played well at almostall the games. He was silent and gruff before grown people, and onlynow and then was thoroughly sociable among the lads. Few of them reallyliked him, but few could help admiring his courage and strength, fornothing daunted him, and he knocked tall Franz flat on one occasion withan ease that caused all the others to keep at a respectful distance fromhis fists. Mr. Bhaer watched him silently, and did his best to tame the"Wild Boy," as they called him, but in private the worthy man shook hishead, and said soberly, "I hope the experiment will turn out well, but Iam a little afraid it may cost too much."

Mrs. Bhaer lost her patience with him half a dozen times a day, yetnever gave him up, and always insisted that there was something goodin the lad, after all; for he was kinder to animals than to people, heliked to rove about in the woods, and, best of all, little Ted was fondof him. What the secret was no one could discover, but Baby took to himat once gabbled and crowed whenever he saw him preferred his strong backto ride on to any of the others and called him "My Danny" out of hisown little head. Teddy was the only creature to whom Dan showed anaffection, and this was only manifested when he thought no oneelse would see it; but mothers' eyes are quick, and motherly heartsinstinctively divine who love their babies. So Mrs. Jo soon saw and feltthat there was a soft spot in rough Dan, and bided her time to touch andwin him.

But an unexpected and decidedly alarming event upset all their plans,and banished Dan from Plumfield.

Tommy, Nat, and Demi began by patronizing Dan, because the otherlads rather slighted him; but soon they each felt there was a certainfascination about the bad boy, and from looking down upon him they cameto looking up, each for a different reason. Tommy admired his skill andcourage; Nat was grateful for past kindness; and Demi regarded him asa sort of animated story book, for when he chose Dan could tell hisadventures in a most interesting way. It pleased Dan to have the threefavorites like him, and he exerted himself to be agreeable, which wasthe secret of his success.

The Bhaers were surprised, but hoped the lads would have a goodinfluence over Dan, and waited with some anxiety, trusting that no harmwould come of it.

Dan felt they did not quite trust him, and never showed them his bestside, but took a wilful pleasure in trying their patience and thwartingtheir hopes as far as he dared.

Mr. Bhaer did not approve of fighting, and did not think it a proof ofeither manliness or courage for two lads to pommel one another forthe amusement of the rest. All sorts of hardy games and exercises wereencouraged, and the boys were expected to take hard knocks and tumbleswithout whining; but black eyes and bloody noses given for the fun of itwere forbidden as a foolish and a brutal play.

Dan laughed at this rule, and told such exciting tales of his own valor,and the many frays that he had been in, that some of the lads were firedwith a desire to have a regular good "mill."

"Don't tell, and I'll show you how," said Dan; and, getting half a dozenof the lads together behind the barn, he gave them a lesson in boxing,which quite satisfied the ardor of most of them. Emil, however, couldnot submit to be beaten by a fellow younger than himself, for Emil waspast fourteen and a plucky fellow, so he challenged Dan to a fight. Danaccepted at once, and the others looked on with intense interest.

What little bird carried the news to head-quarters no one ever knew,but, in the very hottest of the fray, when Dan and Emil were fightinglike a pair of young bulldogs, and the others with fierce, excitedfaces were cheering them on, Mr. Bhaer walked into the ring, plucked thecombatants apart with a strong hand, and said, in the voice they seldomheard,

"I can't allow this, boys! Stop it at once; and never let me see itagain. I keep a school for boys, not for wild beasts. Look at each otherand be ashamed of yourselves."

"You let me go, and I'll knock him down again," shouted Dan, sparringaway in spite of the grip on his collar.

"Come on, come on, I ain't thrashed yet!" cried Emil, who had been downfive times, but did not know when he was beaten.

"They are playing be gladdy what-you-call-'ems, like the Romans, UncleFritz," called out Demi, whose eyes were bigger than ever with theexcitement of this new pastime.

"They were a fine set of brutes; but we have learned something sincethen, I hope, and I cannot have you make my barn a Colosseum. Whoproposed this?" asked Mr. Bhaer.

"Dan," answered several voices.

"Don't you know that it is forbidden?"

"Yes," growled Dan, sullenly.

"Then why break the rule?"

"They'll all be molly-coddles, if they don't know how to fight."

"Have you found Emil a molly-coddle? He doesn't look much like one,"and Mr. Bhaer brought the two face to face. Dan had a black eye, and hisjacket was torn to rags, but Emil's face was covered with blood from acut lip and a bruised nose, while a bump on his forehead was already aspurple as a plum. In spite of his wounds however, he still glared uponhis foe, and evidently panted to renew the fight.

"He'd make a first-rater if he was taught," said Dan, unable to withholdthe praise from the boy who made it necessary for him to do his best.

"He'll be taught to fence and box by and by, and till then I thinkhe will do very well without any lessons in mauling. Go and wash yourfaces; and remember, Dan, if you break any more of the rules again, youwill be sent away. That was the bargain; do your part and we will doours."

The lads went off, and after a few more words to the spectators, Mr.Bhaer followed to bind up the wounds of the young gladiators. Emil wentto bed sick, and Dan was an unpleasant spectacle for a week.