Natjoyfullyranoff，andsoonreturnedfollowedbyamostunprepossessingboy，whoslouchedinandstoodlookingabouthim，withahalfbold，halfsullenlook，whichmadeMrs。Bhaersaytoherself，afteroneglance，­；
　　“Abadspecimen，Iamafraid。“
　　“ThisisDan，“saidNat，presentinghimasifsureofhiswelcome。
　　“Nattellsmeyouwouldliketocomeandstaywithus，“beganMrs。Jo，inafriendlytone。
　　“Yes，“wasthegruffreply。
　　“Haveyounofriendstotakecareofyou？“
　　“No。“
　　“Say，’No，ma’am，’“whisperedNat。
　　“Shan’tneither，“mutteredDan。
　　“Howoldareyou？“
　　“Aboutfourteen。“
　　“Youlookolder。Whatcanyoudo？“
　　“’Mostanything。“
　　“Ifyoustayhereweshallwantyoutodoastheothersdo，workandstudyaswellasplay。Areyouwillingtoagreetothat？“
　　“Don’tmindtrying。“
　　“Well，youcanstayafewdays，andwewillseehowwegetontogether。
　　Takehimout，Nat，andamusehimtillMr。Bhaercomeshome，whenwewillsettleaboutthematter，“saidMrs。Jo，findingitratherdifficulttogetonwiththiscoolyoungperson，whofixedhisbigblackeyesonherwithahard，suspiciousexpression，sorrowfullyunboyish。
　　“Comeon，Nat，“hesaid，andslouchedoutagain。
　　“Thankyou，ma’am，“addedNat，ashefollowedhim，feelingwithoutquiteunderstandingthedifferenceinthewelcomegiventohimandtohisungraciousfriend。
　　“Thefellowsarehavingacircusoutinthebarn；don’tyouwanttocomeandseeit？“heasked，astheycamedownthewidestepsontothelawn。
　　“Aretheybigfellows？“saidDan。
　　“No；thebigonesaregonefishing。“
　　“Fireaway，then，“saidDan。
　　Natledhimtothegreatbarnandintroducedhimtohisset，whoweredisportingthemselvesamongthehalf-emptylofts。Alargecirclewasmarkedoutwithhayonthewidefloor，andinthemiddlestoodDemiwithalongwhip，whileTommy，mountedonthemuch-enduringToby，prancedaboutthecircleplayingbeingamonkey。
　　“Youmustpayapinapiece，oryoucan’tseetheshow，“saidStuffy，whostoodbythewheelbarrowinwhichsattheband，consistingofapocket-combblownuponbyNed，andatoydrumbeatenspasmodicallybyRob。
　　“He’scompany，soI’llpayforboth，“saidNat，handsomely，ashestucktwocrookedpinsinthedriedmushroomwhichservedasmoney-box。
　　Withanodtothecompanytheyseatedthemselvesonacoupleofboards，andtheperformancewenton。Afterthemonkeyact，Nedgavethemafinespecimenofhisagilitybyjumpingoveranoldchair，andrunningupanddownladders，sailorfashion。ThenDemidancedajigwithagravitybeautifultobehold。NatwascalledupontowrestlewithStuffy，andspeedilylaidthatstoutyouthupontheground。Afterthis，Tommyproudlyadvancedtoturnasomersault，anaccomplishmentwhichhehadacquiredbypainfulperseverance，practisinginprivatetilleveryjointofhislittleframewasblackandblue。Hisfeatswerereceivedwithgreatapplause，andhewasabouttoretire，flushedwithprideandarushofbloodtothehead，whenascornfulvoiceintheaudiencewasheardtosay，­；
　　“Ho!thatain’tanything!“
　　“Saythatagain，willyou？“andTommybristleduplikeanangryturkey-cock。
　　“Doyouwanttofight？“saidDan，promptlydescendingfromthebarrelanddoublinguphisfistsinabusiness-likemanner。
　　“No，Idon’t；“andthecandidThomasretiredastep，rathertakenabackbytheproposition。
　　“Fightingisn’tallowed!“criedtheothers，muchexcited。
　　“You’reanicelot，“sneeredDan。
　　“Come，ifyoudon’tbehave，youshan’tstay，“saidNat，firingupatthatinsulttohisfriends。
　　“I’dliketoseehimdobetterthanIdid，that’sall，“observedTommy，withaswagger。
　　“Cleartheway，then，“andwithouttheslightestpreparationDanturnedthreesomersaultsoneaftertheotherandcameuponhisfeet。
　　“Youcan’tbeatthat，Tom；youalwayshityourheadandtumbleflat，“
　　saidNat，pleasedathisfriend’ssuccess。
　　Beforehecouldsayanymoretheaudiencewereelectrifiedbythreemoresomersaultsbackwards，andashortpromenadeonthehands，headdown，feetup。Thisbroughtdownthehouse，andTommyjoinedintheadmiringcrieswhichgreetedtheaccomplishedgymnastasherightedhimself，andlookedatthemwithanairofcalmsuperiority。
　　“DoyouthinkIcouldlearntodoitwithoutitshurtingmeverymuch？“
　　Tommeeklyasked，asherubbedtheelbowswhichstillsmartedafterthelastattempt。
　　“WhatwillyougivemeifI’llteachyou？“saidDan。
　　“Mynewjack-knife；it’sgotfiveblades，andonlyoneisbroken。“
　　“Giveithere，then。“
　　Tommyhandeditoverwithanaffectionatelookatitssmoothhandle。
　　Danexamineditcarefully，thenputtingitintohispocket，walkedoff，sayingwithawink，­；
　　“Keepituptillyoulearn，that’sall。“
　　AhowlofwrathfromTommywasfollowedbyageneraluproar，whichdidnotsubsidetillDan，findinghimselfinaminority，proposedthattheyshouldplaystick-knife，andwhicheverwonshouldhavethetreasure。Tommyagreed，andthegamewasplayedinacircleofexcitedfaces，whichallworeanexpressionofsatisfaction，whenTommywonandsecuredtheknifeinthedepthofhissafestpocket。
　　“Youcomeoffwithme，andI’llshowyouround，“saidNat，feelingthathemusthavealittleseriousconversationwithhisfriendinprivate。
　　Whatpassedbetweenthemnooneknew，butwhentheyappearedagain，Danwasmorerespectfultoeveryone，thoughstillgruffinhisspeech，androughinhismanner；andwhatelsecouldbeexpectedofthepoorladwhohadbeenknockingabouttheworldallhisshortlifewithnoonetoteachhimanybetter？
　　Theboyshaddecidedthattheydidnotlikehim，andsotheylefthimtoNat，whosoonfeltratheroppressedbytheresponsibility，buttookind-heartedtodeserthim。
　　Tommy，however，feltthatinspiteofthejack-knifetransaction，therewasabondofsympathybetweenthem，andlongedtoreturntotheinterestingsubjectofsomersaults。Hesoonfoundanopportunity，forDan，seeinghowmuchheadmiredhim，grewmoreamiable，andbytheendofthefirstweekwasquiteintimatewiththelivelyTom。
　　Mr。Bhaer，whenheheardthestoryandsawDan，shookhishead，butonlysaidquietly，­；
　　“Theexperimentmaycostussomething，butwewilltryit。“
　　IfDanfeltanygratitudeforhisprotection，hedidnotshowit，andtookwithoutthanksallthatwasgivehim。Hewasignorant，butveryquicktolearnwhenhechose；hadsharpeyestowatchwhatwentonabouthim；
　　asaucytongue，roughmanners，andatemperthatwasfierceandsullenbyturns。Heplayedwithallhismight，andplayedwellatalmostallthegames。Hewassilentandgruffbeforegrownpeople，andonlynowandthenwasthoroughlysociableamongthelads。Fewofthemreallylikedhim，butfewcouldhelpadmiringhiscourageandstrength，fornothingdauntedhim，andheknockedtallFranzflatononeoccasionwithaneasethatcausedalltheotherstokeepatarespectfuldistancefromhisfists。Mr。Bhaerwatchedhimsilently，anddidhisbesttotamethe“WildBoy，“astheycalledhim，butinprivatetheworthymanshookhishead，andsaidsoberly，“Ihopetheexperimentwillturnoutwell，butIamalittleafraiditmaycosttoomuch。“
　　Mrs。Bhaerlostherpatiencewithhimhalfadozentimesaday，yetnevergavehimup，andalwaysinsistedthattherewassomethinggoodinthelad，afterall；forhewaskindertoanimalsthantopeople，helikedtoroveaboutinthewoods，and，bestofall，littleTedwasfondofhim。
　　Whatthesecretwasnoonecoulddiscover，butBabytooktohimatonce­；gabbledandcrowedwheneverhesawhim­；preferredhisstrongbacktorideontoanyoftheothers­；andcalledhim“MyDanny“outofhisownlittlehead。TeddywastheonlycreaturetowhomDanshowedanaffection，andthiswasonlymanifestedwhenhethoughtnooneelsewouldseeit；butmothers’eyesarequick，andmotherlyheartsinstinctivelydivinewholovetheirbabies。SoMrs。JosoonsawandfeltthattherewasasoftspotinroughDan，andbidedhertimetotouchandwinhim。
　　Butanunexpectedanddecidedlyalarmingeventupsetalltheirplans，andbanishedDanfromPlumfield。
　　Tommy，Nat，andDemibeganbypatronizingDan，becausetheotherladsratherslightedhim；butsoontheyeachfelttherewasacertainfascinationaboutthebadboy，andfromlookingdownuponhimtheycametolookingup，eachforadifferentreason。Tommyadmiredhisskillandcourage；Natwasgratefulforpastkindness；andDemiregardedhimasasortofanimatedstorybook，forwhenhechoseDancouldtellhisadventuresinamostinterestingway。ItpleasedDantohavethethreefavoriteslikehim，andheexertedhimselftobeagreeable，whichwasthesecretofhissuccess。
　　TheBhaersweresurprised，buthopedtheladswouldhaveagoodinfluenceoverDan，andwaitedwithsomeanxiety，trustingthatnoharmwouldcomeofit。
　　Danfelttheydidnotquitetrusthim，andnevershowedthemhisbestside，buttookawilfulpleasureintryingtheirpatienceandthwartingtheirhopesasfarashedared。
　　Mr。Bhaerdidnotapproveoffighting，anddidnotthinkitaproofofeithermanlinessorcouragefortwoladstopommeloneanotherfortheamusementoftherest。Allsortsofhardygamesandexerciseswereencouraged，andtheboyswereexpectedtotakehardknocksandtumbleswithoutwhining；
　　butblackeyesandbloodynosesgivenforthefunofitwereforbiddenasafoolishandabrutalplay。
　　Danlaughedatthisrule，andtoldsuchexcitingtalesofhisownvalor，andthemanyfraysthathehadbeenin，thatsomeoftheladswerefiredwithadesiretohavearegulargood“mill。“
　　“Don’ttell，andI’llshowyouhow，“saidDan；and，gettinghalfadozenoftheladstogetherbehindthebarn，hegavethemalessoninboxing，whichquitesatisfiedtheardorofmostofthem。Emil，however，couldnotsubmittobebeatenbyafellowyoungerthanhimself，­；forEmilwaspastfourteenandapluckyfellow，­；sohechallengedDantoafight。
　　Danacceptedatonce，andtheotherslookedonwithintenseinterest。
　　Whatlittlebirdcarriedthenewstohead-quartersnooneeverknew，but，intheveryhottestofthefray，whenDanandEmilwerefightinglikeapairofyoungbulldogs，andtheotherswithfierce，excitedfaceswerecheeringthemon，Mr。Bhaerwalkedintothering，pluckedthecombatantsapartwithastronghand，andsaid，inthevoicetheyseldomheard，­；
　　“Ican’tallowthis，boys!Stopitatonce；andneverletmeseeitagain。Ikeepaschoolforboys，notforwildbeasts。Lookateachotherandbeashamedofyourselves。“
　　“Youletmego，andI’llknockhimdownagain，“shoutedDan，sparringawayinspiteofthegriponhiscollar。
　　“Comeon，comeon，Iain’tthrashedyet!“criedEmil，whohadbeendownfivetimes，butdidnotknowwhenhewasbeaten。
　　“Theyareplayingbegladdy­；what-you-call-’ems，liketheRomans，UncleFritz，“calledoutDemi，whoseeyeswerebiggerthaneverwiththeexcitementofthisnewpastime。
　　“Theywereafinesetofbrutes；butwehavelearnedsomethingsincethen，Ihope，andIcannothaveyoumakemybarnaColosseum。Whoproposedthis？“askedMr。Bhaer。
　　“Dan，“answeredseveralvoices。
　　“Don’tyouknowthatitisforbidden？“
　　“Yes，“growledDan，sullenly。
　　“Thenwhybreaktherule？“
　　“They’llallbemolly-coddles，iftheydon’tknowhowtofight。“
　　“HaveyoufoundEmilamolly-coddle？Hedoesn’tlookmuchlikeone，“
　　andMr。Bhaerbroughtthetwofacetoface。Danhadablackeye，andhisjacketwastorntorags，butEmil’sfacewascoveredwithbloodfromacutlipandabruisednose，whileabumponhisforeheadwasalreadyaspurpleasaplum。Inspiteofhiswoundshowever，hestillglareduponhisfoe，andevidentlypantedtorenewthefight。