Little Men (Little Women 2)

Poor Nat was so hurt that he could not get over it. He felt that he hadlost not only his partner and patron, but that he was bankrupt in honor,and an outlaw from the business community. No one trusted his word,written or spoken, in spite of his efforts to redeem the past falsehood;the sign was down, the firm broken up, and he a ruined man. The barn,which was the boys' Wall Street, knew him no more. Cockletop andher sisters cackled for him in vain, and really seemed to take hismisfortune to heart, for eggs were fewer, and some of the biddiesretired in disgust to new nests, which Tommy could not find.

"They trust me," said Nat, when he heard of it; and though the boysshouted at the idea, Nat found comfort in it, for when one is down inthe world, the confidence of even a speckled hen is most consoling.

Tommy took no new partner, however, for distrust had entered in, andpoisoned the peace of his once confiding soul. Ned offered to join him,but he declined, saying, with a sense of justice that did him honor,

"It might turn out that Nat didn't take my money, and then we couldbe partners again. I don't think it will happen, but I will give him achance, and keep the place open a little longer."

Billy was the only person whom Bangs felt he could trust in his shop,and Billy was trained to hunt eggs, and hand them over unbroken, beingquite satisfied with an apple or a sugar-plum for wages. The morningafter Dan's gloomy Sunday, Billy said to his employer, as he displayedthe results of a long hunt,

"Only two."

"It gets worse and worse; I never saw such provoking old hens," growledTommy, thinking of the days when he often had six to rejoice over."Well, put 'em in my hat and give me a new bit of chalk; I must mark 'emup, any way."

Billy mounted a peck-measure, and looked into the top of the machine,where Tommy kept his writing materials.

"There's lots of money in here," said Billy.

"No, there isn't. Catch me leaving my cash round again," returned Tommy.

"I see 'em one, four, eight, two dollars," persisted Billy, who had notyet mastered the figures correctly.

"What a jack you are!" and Tommy hopped up to get the chalk for himself,but nearly tumbled down again, for there actually were four brightquarters in a row, with a bit of paper on them directed to "Tom Bangs,"that there might be no mistake.

"Thunder turtles!" cried Tommy, and seizing them he dashed into thehouse, bawling wildly, "It's all right! Got my money! Where's Nat?"

He was soon found, and his surprise and pleasure were so genuine thatfew doubted his word when he now denied all knowledge of the money.

"How could I put it back when I didn't take it? Do believe me now, andbe good to me again," he said, so imploringly, that Emil slapped him onthe back, and declared he would for one.

"So will I, and I'm jolly glad it's not you. But who the dickens is it?"said Tommy, after shaking hands heartily with Nat.

"Never mind, as long as it's found," said Dan with his eyes fixed onNat's happy face.

"Well, I like that! I'm not going to have my things hooked, and thenbrought back like the juggling man's tricks," cried Tommy, looking athis money as if he suspected witchcraft.

"We'll find him out somehow, though he was sly enough to print this sohis writing wouldn't be known," said Franz, examining the paper.

"Demi prints tip-top," put in Rob, who had not a very clear idea whatthe fuss was all about.

"You can't make me believe it's him, not if you talk till you are blue,"said Tommy, and the others hooted at the mere idea; for the littledeacon, as they called him, was above suspicion.

Nat felt the difference in the way they spoke of Demi and himself, andwould have given all he had or ever hoped to have to be so trusted;for he had learned how easy it is to lose the confidence of others, howvery, very hard to win it back, and truth became to him a precious thingsince he had suffered from neglecting it.

Mr. Bhaer was very glad one step had been taken in the right direction,and waited hopefully for yet further revelations. They came sooner thanhe expected, and in a way that surprised and grieved him very much. Asthey sat at supper that night, a square parcel was handed to Mrs. Bhaerfrom Mrs. Bates, a neighbor. A note accompanied the parcel, and, whileMr. Bhaer read it, Demi pulled off the wrapper, exclaiming, as he sawits contents,

"Why, it's the book Uncle Teddy gave Dan!"

"The devil!" broke from Dan, for he had not yet quite cured himself ofswearing, though he tried very hard.

Mr. Bhaer looked up quickly at the sound. Dan tried to meet his eyes,but could not; his own fell, and he sat biting his lips, getting redderand redder till he was the picture of shame.

"What is it?" asked Mrs. Bhaer, anxiously.

"I should have preferred to talk about this in private, but Demi hasspoilt that plan, so I may as well have it out now," said Mr. Bhaer,looking a little stern, as he always did when any meanness or deceitcame up for judgment.

"The note is from Mrs. Bates, and she says that her boy Jimmy told herhe bought this book of Dan last Saturday. She saw that it was worth muchmore than a dollar, and thinking there was some mistake, has sent it tome. Did you sell it, Dan?"

"Yes, sir," was the slow answer.

"Why?"

"Wanted money."

"For what?"

"To pay somebody."

"To whom did you owe it?"

"Tommy."

"Never borrowed a cent of me in his life

," cried Tommy, looked scared,for he guessed what was coming now, and felt that on the whole he wouldhave preferred witchcraft, for he admired Dan immensely.

"Perhaps he took it," cried Ned, who owed Dan a grudge for the ducking,and, being a mortal boy, liked to pay it off.

"O Dan!" cried Nat, clasping his hands, regardless of the bread andbutter in them.

"It is a hard thing to do, but I must have this settled, for I cannothave you watching each other like detectives, and the whole schooldisturbed in this way, did you put that dollar in the barn thismorning?" asked Mr. Bhaer.

Dan looked him straight in the face, and answered steadily, "Yes, Idid."

A murmur went round the table, Tommy dropped his mug with a crash; Daisycried out, "I knew it wasn't Nat;" Nan began to cry, and Mrs. Jo leftthe room, looking so disappointed, sorry, and ashamed that Dan could notbear it. He hid his face in his hands a moment, then threw up his head,squared his shoulders as if settling some load upon them, and said, withthe dogged look, and half-resolute, half-reckless tone he had used whenhe first came,

"I did it; now you may do what you like to me, but I won't say anotherword about it."

"Not even that you are sorry?" asked Mr. Bhaer, troubled by the changein him.

"I ain't sorry."

"I'll forgive him without asking," said Tommy, feeling that it washarder somehow to see brave Dan disgraced than timid Nat.

"Don't want to be forgiven," returned Dan, gruffly.

"Perhaps you will when you have thought about it quietly by yourself, Iwon't tell you now how surprised and disappointed I am, but by and by Iwill come up and talk to you in your room."

"Won't make any difference," said Dan, trying to speak defiantly, butfailing as he looked at Mr. Bhaer's sorrowful face; and, taking hiswords for a dismissal, Dan left the room as if he found it impossible tostay.

It would have done him good if he had stayed; for the boys talked thematter over with such sincere regret, and pity, and wonder, it mighthave touched and won him to ask pardon. No one was glad to find that itwas he, not even Nat; for, spite of all his faults, and they were many,every one liked Dan now, because under his rough exterior lay some ofthe manly virtues which we most admire and love. Mrs. Jo had been thechief prop, as well as cultivator, of Dan; and she took it sadly toheart that her last and most interesting boy had turned out so ill. Thetheft was bad, but the lying about it, and allowing another to sufferso much from an unjust suspicion was worse; and most discouraging of allwas the attempt to restore the money in an underhand way, for it showednot only a want of courage, but a power of deceit that boded ill for thefuture. Still more trying was his steady refusal to talk of the matter,to ask pardon, or express any remorse. Days passed; and he went abouthis lessons and his work, silent, grim, and unrepentant. As if takingwarning by their treatment of Nat, he asked no sympathy of any one,rejected the advances of the boys, and spent his leisure hours roamingabout the fields and woods, trying to find playmates in the birds andbeasts, and succeeding better than most boys would have done, because heknew and loved them so well.

"If this goes on much longer, I'm afraid he will run away again, for heis too young to stand a life like this," said Mr. Bhaer, quite dejectedat the failure of all his efforts.

"A little while ago I should have been quite sure that nothing wouldtempt him away, but now I am ready of any thing, he is so changed,"answered poor Mrs. Jo, who mourned over her boy and could not becomforted, because he shunned her more than any one else, and onlylooked at her with the half-fierce, half-imploring eyes of a wild animalcaught in a trap, when she tried to talk to him alone.

Nat followed him about like a shadow, and Dan did not repulse him asrudely as he did others, but said, in his blunt way, "You are all right;don't worry about me. I can stand it better than you did."

"But I don't like to have you all alone," Nat would say, sorrowfully.

"I like it;" and Dan would tramp away, stifling a sigh sometimes, for hewas lonely.

Passing through the birch grove one day, he came up on several of theboys, who were amusing themselves by climbing up the trees and swingingdown again, as they slender elastic stems bent till their tops touchedthe ground. Dan paused a minute to watch the fun, without offeringto join in it, and as he stood there Jack took his turn. He hadunfortunately chosen too large a tree; for when he swung off, it onlybent a little way, and left him hanging at a dangerous height.

"Go back; you can't do it!" called Ned from below.

Jack tried, but the twigs slipped from his hands, and he could not gethis legs round the trunk. He kicked, and squirmed, and clutched in vain,then gave it up, and hung breathless, saying helplessly,

"Catch me! help me! I must drop!"

"You'll be killed if you do," cried Ned, frightened out of his wits.

"Hold on!" shouted Dan; and up the tree he went, crashing his way alongtill he nearly reached Jack, whose face looked up at him, full of fearand hope.

"You'll both come down," said Ned, dancing with excitement on the slopeunderneath, while Nat held out his arms, in the wild hope of breakingthe fall.

"That's what I want; stand from under," answered Dan, coolly; and, as hespoke, his added weight bent the tree many feet nearer the earth.

Jack dropped safely; but the birch, lightened of half its load, flew upagain so suddenly, that Dan, in the act of swinging round to drop feetforemost, lost his hold and fell heavily.

"I'm not hurt, all right in a minute," he said, sitting up, a littlepale and dizzy, as the boys gathered round him, full of admiration andalarm.

"You're a trump, Dan, and I'm ever so much obliged to you," cried Jack,gratefully.

"It wasn't any thing," muttered Dan, rising slowly.

"I say it was, and I'll shake hands with you, though you are," Nedchecked the unlucky word on his tongue, and held out his hand, feelingthat it was a handsome thing on his part.

"But I won't shake hands with a sneak;" and Dan turned his back with alook of scorn, that caused Ned to remember the brook, and retire withundignified haste.

"Come home, old chap; I'll give you a lift;" and Nat walked away withhim leaving the others to talk over the feat together, to wonder whenDan would "come round," and to wish one and all that Tommy's "confoundedmoney had been in Jericho before it made such a fuss."

When Mr. Bhaer came into school next morning, he looked so happy, thatthe boys wondered what had happened to him, and really thought he hadlost his mind when they saw him go straight to Dan, and, taking him byboth hands, say all in one breath, as he shook them heartily,

"I know all about it, and I beg your pardon. It was like you to do it,and I love you for it, though it's never right to tell lies, even for afriend."

"What is it?" cried Nat, for Dan said not a word, only lifted up hishead, as if a weight of some sort had fallen off his back.

"Dan did not take Tommy's money;" and Mr. Bhaer quite shouted it, he wasso glad.

"Who did?" cried the boys in a chorus.

Mr. Bhaer pointed to one empty seat, and every eye followed his finger,yet no one spoke for a minute, they were so surprised.

"Jack went home early this morning, but he left this behind him;" andin the silence Mr. Bhaer read the note which he had found tied to hisdoor-handle when he rose.

"I took Tommy's dollar. I was peeking in through a crack and saw him putit there. I was afraid to tell before, though I wanted to. I didn't careso much about Nat, but Dan is a trump, and I can't stand it any longer.I never spent the money; it's under the carpet in my room, right behindthe washstand. I'm awful sorry. I am going home, and don't think I shallever come back, so Dan may have my things.

"JACK"

It was not an elegant confession, being badly written, much blotted,and very short; but it was a precious paper to Dan; and, when Mr. Bhaerpaused, the boy went to him, saying, in a rather broken voice, but withclear eyes, and the frank, respectful manner they had tried to teachhim,

"I'll say I'm sorry now, and ask you to forgive me, sir.

"

"It was a kind lie, Dan, and I can't help forgiving it; but you see itdid no good," said Mr. Bhaer, with a hand on either shoulder, and a facefull of relief and affection.

"It kept the boys from plaguing Nat. That's what I did it for. It madehim right down miserable. I didn't care so much," explained Dan, as ifglad to speak out after his hard silence.

"How could you do it? You are always so kind to me," faltered Nat,feeling a strong desire to hug his friend and cry. Two girlishperformances, which would have scandalized Dan to the last degree.

"It's all right now, old fellow, so don't be a fool," he said,swallowing the lump in his throat, and laughing out as he had not donefor weeks. "Does Mrs. Bhaer know?" he asked, eagerly.

"Yes; and she is so happy I don't know what she will do to you," beganMr. Bhaer, but got no farther, for here the boys came crowding about Danin a tumult of pleasure and curiosity; but before he had answered morethan a dozen questions, a voice cried out,

"Three cheers for Dan!" and there was Mrs. Jo in the doorway waving herdish-towel, and looking as if she wanted to dance a jig for joy, as sheused to do when a girl.

"Now then," cried Mr. Bhaer, and led off a rousing hurrah, whichstartled Asia in the kitchen, and made old Mr. Roberts shake his head ashe drove by, saying,

"Schools are not what they were when I was young!"

Dan stood it pretty well for a minute, but the sight of Mrs. Jo'sdelight upset him, and he suddenly bolted across the hall into theparlor, whither she instantly followed, and neither were seen for halfan hour.

Mr. Bhaer found it very difficult to calm his excited flock; and, seeingthat lessons were an impossibility for a time, he caught their attentionby telling them the fine old story of the friends whose fidelity to oneanother has made their names immortal. The lads listened and remembered,for just then their hearts were touched by the loyalty of a humbler pairof friends. The lie was wrong, but the love that prompted it and thecourage that bore in silence the disgrace which belonged to another,made Dan a hero in their eyes. Honesty and honor had a new meaning now;a good name was more precious than gold; for once lost money could notbuy it back; and faith in one another made life smooth and happy asnothing else could do.

Tommy proudly restored the name of the firm; Nat was devoted to Dan; andall the boys tried to atone to both for former suspicion and neglect.Mrs. Jo rejoiced over her flock, and Mr. Bhaer was never tired oftelling the story of his young Damon and Pythias.