t he handsome? and don't he mind me like a lamb?" said Dan one day
as he dismounted and stood with his arm round Charlie's neck.

"Yes, and isn't he a much more useful and agreeable animal than the
wild colt who spent his days racing about the field, jumping fences, and
running away now and then?" asked Mrs. Bhaer from the steps where she
always appeared when Dan performed with Charlie.

"Of course he is. See he won't run away now, even if I don't hold him,
and he comes to me the minute I whistle; I have tamed him well, haven't
I?" and Dan looked both proud and pleased, as well he might, for, in
spite of their struggles together, Charlie loved him better than his
master.

"I am taming a colt too, and I think I shall succeed as well as you if
I am as patient and persevering," said Mrs. Jo, smiling so significantly
at him, that Dan understood and answered, laughing, yet in earnest,

"We won't jump over the fence and run away, but stay and let them make a
handsome, useful span of us, hey, Charlie?"

CHAPTER XVII. COMPOSITION DAY

"Hurry up, boys, it's three o'clock, and Uncle Fritz likes us to be
punctual, you know," said Franz one Wednesday afternoon as a bell rang,
and a stream of literary-looking young gentlemen with books and paper in
their hands were seen going toward the museum.

Tommy was in the school-room, bending over his desk, much bedaubed with
ink, flushed with the ardor of inspiration, and in a great hurry as
usual, for easy-going Bangs never was ready till the very last minute.
As Franz passed the door looking up laggards, Tommy gave one last blot
and flourish, and departed out the window, waving his paper to dry as
he went. Nan followed, looking very important, with a large roll in her
hand, and Demi escorted Daisy, both evidently brimful of some delightful
secret.

The museum was all in order, and the sunshine among the hop-vines made
pretty shadows on the floor as it peeped through the great window. On
one side sat Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer, on the other was a little table
on which the compositions were laid as soon as read, and in a large
semicircle sat the children on camp-stools which occasionally shut up
and let the sitter down, thus preventing any stiffness in the assembly.
As it took too much time to have all read, they took turns, and on this
Wednesday the younger pupils were the chief performers, while the elder
ones listened with condescension and criticised freely.

"Ladies first; so Nan