nd you come up. I must go to Daisy now;" and Demi
departed to rehearse the tale of the nineteen cats, with the exciting
boot-and-barrel episodes.

Teddy was speedily whisked up; and then Dan said, laughing, "Come, too;
there's plenty of room. I'll lend you a hand."

Mrs. Jo glanced over her shoulder, but no one was in sight; and rather
liking the joke of the thing, she laughed back, saying, "Well, if you
won't mention it, I think I will;" and with two nimble steps was in the
willow.

"I haven't climbed a tree since I was married. I used to be very fond
of it when I was a girl," she said, looking well-pleased with her shady
perch.

"Now, you read if you want to, and I'll take care of Teddy," proposed
Dan, beginning to make a fishing-rod for impatient Baby.

"I don't think I care about it now. What were you and Demi at up here?"
asked Mrs. Jo, thinking, from the sober look on Dan's face, that he had
something on his mind.

"Oh! we were talking. I'd been telling him about leaves and things, and
he was telling me some of his queer plays. Now, then, Major, fish away;"
and Dan finished off his work by putting a big blue fly on the bent pin
which hung at the end of the cord he had tied to the willow-rod.

Teddy leaned down from the tree, and was soon wrapt up in watching
for the fish which he felt sure would come. Dan held him by his little
petticoats, lest he should take a "header" into the brook, and Mrs. Jo
soon won him to talk by doing so herself.

"I am so glad you told Demi about 'leaves and things;' it is just what
he needs; and I wish you would teach him, and take him to walk with
you."

"I'd like to, he is so bright; but--"

"But what?"

"I didn't think you'd trust me."

"Why not?"

"Well, Demi is so kind of precious, and so good, and I'm such a bad lot,
I thought you'd keep him away from me."

"But you are not a 'bad lot,' as you say; and I do trust you, Dan,
entirely, because you honestly try to improve, and do better and better
every week."

"Really?" and Dan looked up at her with the cloud of despondency lifting
from his face.

"Yes; don't you feel it?"

"I hoped so, but I didn't know."

"I have been waiting and watching quietly, for I thought I'd give you a
good trial first; and if you stood it, I would give you the best reward
I had. You have stood it well; and now I'm going to trust not only Demi,
but my own boy, to you, because you can teach them some things better
than any of us."