ly attempted, no matter how
dangerous it might be, and they were never tired of testing her courage.

Mr. Bhaer suggested that they should see who would study best, and Nan
found as much pleasure in using her quick wits and fine memory as her
active feet and merry tongue, while the lads had to do their best to
keep their places, for Nan showed them that girls could do most things
as well as boys, and some things better. There were no rewards in
school, but Mr. Bhaer's "Well done!" and Mrs. Bhaer's good report on the
conscience book, taught them to love duty for its own sake, and try to
do it faithfully, sure sooner or later the recompense would come. Little
Nan was quick to feel the new atmosphere, to enjoy it, to show that it
was what she needed; for this little garden was full of sweet flowers,
half hidden by the weeds; and when kind hands gently began to
cultivate it, all sorts of green shoots sprung up, promising to blossom
beautifully in the warmth of love and care, the best climate for young
hearts and souls all the world over.

CHAPTER VIII. PRANKS AND PLAYS

As there is no particular plan to this story, except to describe a few
scenes in the life at Plumfield for the amusement of certain little
persons, we will gently ramble along in this chapter and tell some of
the pastimes of Mrs. Jo's boys. I beg leave to assure my honored readers
that most of the incidents are taken from real life, and that the oddest
are the truest; for no person, no matter how vivid an imagination he may
have, can invent anything half so droll as the freaks and fancies that
originate in the lively brains of little people.

Daisy and Demi were full of these whims, and lived in a world of their
own, peopled with lovely or grotesque creatures, to whom they gave the
queerest names, and with whom they played the queerest games. One of
these nursery inventions was an invisible sprite called "The Naughty
Kitty-mouse," whom the children had believed in, feared, and served for
a long time. They seldom spoke of it to any one else, kept their rites
as private as possible; and, as they never tried to describe it even to
themselves, this being had a vague mysterious charm very agreeable
to Demi, who delighted in elves and goblins. A most whimsical and
tyrannical imp was the Naughty Kitty-mouse, and Daisy found a fearful
pleasure in its service, blindly obeying its most absurd demands, which
were usually proclaimed from the lips of Demi, whose p