and thrown away.

Nat, Demi, and the cage arrived together, and the crabs were settled
in their new house, to the great delight of the boys, who, in the
excitement of the performance, forgot any awkwardness they might
otherwise have felt in greeting the runaway. To these admiring listeners
Dan related his adventures much more fully than he had done to the
Bhaers. Then he displayed his "plunder," and described each article so
well, that Mrs. Jo, who had retired to the next room to leave them
free, was surprised and interested, as well as amused, at their boyish
chatter.

"How much the lad knows of these things! how absorbed he is in them! and
what a mercy it is just now, for he cares so little for books, it would
be hard to amuse him while he is laid up; but the boys can supply him
with beetles and stones to any extent, and I am glad to find out this
taste of his; it is a good one, and may perhaps prove the making of him.
If he should turn out a great naturalist, and Nat a musician, I should
have cause to be proud of this year's work;" and Mrs. Jo sat smiling
over her book as she built castles in the air, just as she used to do
when a girl, only then they were for herself, and now they were for
other people, which is the reason perhaps that some of them came to
pass in reality for charity is an excellent foundation to build anything
upon.

Nat was most interested in the adventures, but Demi enjoyed the beetles
and butterflies immensely, drinking in the history of their changeful
little lives as if it were a new and lovely sort of fairy tale for, even
in his plain way, Dan told it well, and found great satisfaction in the
thought that here at least the small philosopher could learn of him. So
interested were they in the account of catching a musk rat, whose skin
was among the treasures, that Mr. Bhaer had to come himself to tell Nat
and Demi it was time for the walk. Dan looked so wistfully after them as
they ran off that Father Bhaer proposed carrying him to the sofa in the
parlor for a little change of air and scene.

When he was established, and the house quiet, Mrs. Jo, who sat near
by showing Teddy pictures, said, in an interested tone, as she nodded
towards the treasures still in Dan's hands,

"Where did you learn so much about these things?"

"I always liked 'em, but didn't know much till Mr. Hyde told me."

"Oh, he was a man who lived round in the woods studying these things I
don't know what you call hi