om the
owner thereof. This increased its value immensely in the eyes of the
gentlemen, especially as any infringement of the law would be punished
by forfeiture of all right to partake of the delicacies promised to the
virtuous.

At this point the bell rang, and the entire population went down to
dinner, which meal was enlivened by each of the boys giving Daisy a
list of things he would like to have cooked for him as fast as he
earned them. Daisy, whose faith in her stove was unlimited, promised
everything, if Aunt Jo would tell her how to make them. This suggestion
rather alarmed Mrs. Jo, for some of the dishes were quite beyond her
skill wedding-cake, for instance, bull's-eye candy; and cabbage soup
with herrings and cherries in it, which Mr. Bhaer proposed as his
favorite, and immediately reduced his wife to despair, for German
cookery was beyond her.

Daisy wanted to begin again the minute dinner was done, but she was only
allowed to clear up, fill the kettle ready for tea, and wash out her
apron, which looked as if she had a Christmas feast. She was then sent
out to play till five o'clock, for Uncle Fritz said that too much study,
even at cooking stoves, was bad for little minds and bodies, and Aunt Jo
knew by long experience how soon new toys lose their charm if they are
not prudently used.

Everyone was very kind to Daisy that afternoon. Tommy promised her the
first fruits of his garden, though the only visible crop just then was
pigweed; Nat offered to supply her with wood, free of charge; Stuffy
quite worshipped her; Ned immediately fell to work on a little
refrigerator for her kitchen; and Demi, with a punctuality beautiful
to see in one so young, escorted her to the nursery just as the clock
struck five. It was not time for the party to begin, but he begged so
hard to come in and help that he was allowed privileges few visitors
enjoy, for he kindled the fire, ran errands, and watched the progress
of his supper with intense interest. Mrs. Jo directed the affair as she
came and went, being very busy putting up clean curtains all over the
house.

"Ask Asia for a cup of sour cream, then your cakes will be light without
much soda, which I don't like," was the first order.

Demi tore downstairs, and returned with the cream, also a puckered-up
face, for he had tasted it on his way, and found it so sour that he
predicted the cakes would be uneatable. Mrs. Jo took this occasion to
deliver a short lecture from t