changed, and exclaimed in comic dismay:

'Hallo! Why, you are growing up too! What am I going to do, with no
young one to play with? Here's Ted going it like a beanstalk, and Bess a
young lady, and even you, my mustard-seed, letting down your frocks and
putting on airs.'

The girls laughed, and Josie blushed as she stared at the tall man,
conscious that she had leaped before she looked. They made a pretty
contrast, these two young cousins--one as fair as a lily, the other
a little wild rose. And Dan gave a nod of satisfaction as he surveyed
them; for he had seen many bonny girls in his travels, and was glad that
these old friends were blooming so beautifully.

'Here! we can't allow any monopoly of Dan!' called Mrs Jo. 'Bring him
back and keep an eye on him, or he will be slipping off for another
little run of a year or two before we have half seen him.'

Led by these agreeable captors, Dan returned to the parlour to receive a
scolding from Josie for getting ahead of all the other boys and looking
like a man first.

'Emil is older; but he's only a boy, and dances jigs and sings sailor
songs just as he used to. You look about thirty, and as big and black
as a villain in a play. Oh, I've got a splendid idea! You are just the
thing for Arbaces in The Last Days of Pompeii. We want to act it; have
the lion and the gladiators and the eruption. Tom and Ted are going to
shower bushels of ashes down and roll barrels of stones about. We wanted
a dark man for the Egyptian; and you will be gorgeous in red and white
shawls. Won't he, Aunt Jo?'

This deluge of words made Dan clap his hands over his ears; and before
Mrs Bhaer could answer her impetuous niece the Laurences, with Meg and
her family, arrived, soon followed by Tom and Nan, and all sat down to
listen to Dan's adventures--told in brief yet effective manner, as the
varying expressions of interest, wonder, merriment, and suspense painted
on the circle of faces round him plainly showed. The boys all wanted to
start at once for California and make fortunes; the girls could hardly
wait for the curious and pretty things he had picked up for them in his
travels; while the elders rejoiced heartily over the energy and good
prospects of their wild boy.

'Of course you will want to go back for another stroke of luck; and I
hope you will have it. But speculation is a dangerous game, and you may
lose all you've won,' said Mr Laurie, who had enjoyed the stirring tale
as much as a