p more and more every
minute; for the boys came to pay their respects, the little girls fussed
about him with stools and cushions, and Teddy watched over him as if he
was a frail creature unable to do anything for himself. They were still
sitting and standing about the steps, when a carriage stopped at the
gate, a hat was waved from it, and with a shout of "Uncle Teddy! Uncle
Teddy!" Rob scampered down the avenue as fast as his short legs would
carry him. All he boys but Dan ran after him to see who should be
first to open the gate, and in a moment the carriage drove up with boys
swarming all over it, while Uncle Teddy sat laughing in the midst, with
his little daughter on his knee.

"Stop the triumphal car and let Jupiter descend," he said, and jumping
out ran up the steps to meet Mrs. Bhaer, who stood smiling and clapping
her hands like a girl.

"How goes it, Teddy?"

"All right, Jo."

Then they shook hands, and Mr. Laurie put Bess into her aunt's arms,
saying, as the child hugged her tight, "Goldilocks wanted to see you so
much that I ran away with her, for I was quite pining for a sight of you
myself. We want to play with your boys for an hour or so, and to see how
'the old woman who lived in a shoe, and had so many children she did not
know what to do,' is getting on."

"I'm so glad! Play away, and don't get into mischief," answered Mrs.
Jo, as the lads crowded round the pretty child, admiring her long golden
hair, dainty dress, and lofty ways, for the little "Princess," as they
called her, allowed no one to kiss her, but sat smiling down upon them,
and graciously patting their heads with her little, white hands. They
all adored her, especially Rob, who considered her a sort of doll,
and dared not touch her lest she should break, but worshipped her at a
respectful distance, made happy by an occasional mark of favor from her
little highness. As she immediately demanded to see Daisy's kitchen,
she was borne off by Mrs. Jo, with a train of small boys following. The
others, all but Nat and Demi, ran away to the menagerie and gardens
to have all in order; for Mr. Laurie always took a general survey, and
looked disappointed if things were not flourishing.

Standing on the steps, he turned to Dan, saying like an old
acquaintance, though he had only seen him once or twice before,

"How is the foot?"

"Better, sir."

"Rather tired of the house, aren't you?"

"Guess I am!" and Dan's eyes roved away to the green