andnomorepowerfulrestraintcouldhavebeenimposeduponhimthantheinnocentcompanionconfidedtohiscare。HefoundcouragenowtotellMrs。
JooftheplanalreadymadewithDemi，andshewasgladthatthefirststephadbeensonaturallytaken。EverythingseemedtobeworkingwellforDan，andsherejoicedoverhim，becauseithadseemedahardtask，yet，workingonwithafirmbeliefinthepossibilityofreformationinfarolderandworsesubjectsthanhe，therehadcomethisquickandhopefulchangetoencourageher。Hefeltthathehadfriendsnowandaplaceintheworld，somethingtoliveandworkfor，and，thoughhesaidlittle，allthatwasbestandbravestinacharactermadeoldbyahardexperiencerespondedtotheloveandfaithbestowedonhim，andDan’ssalvationwasassured。
TheirquiettalkwasinterruptedbyashoutofdelightfromTeddy，who，tothesurpriseofeveryone，didactuallycatchatroutwherenotrouthadbeenseenforyears。HewassoenchantedwithhissplendidsuccessthatheinsistedonshowinghisprizetothefamilybeforeAsiacookeditforsupper；sothethreedescendedandwenthappilyawaytogether，allsatisfiedwiththeworkofthathalfhour。
Nedwasthenextvisitortothetree，butheonlymadeashortstay，sittingthereathiseasewhileDickandDollycaughtapailfulofgrasshoppersandcricketsforhim。HewantedtoplayajokeonTommy，andintendedtotuckupafewdozenofthelivelycreaturesinhisbed，sothatwhenBangsgotinhewouldspeedilytumbleoutagain，andpassaportionofthenightinchasing“hopper-grasses“roundtheroom。Thehuntwassoonover，andhavingpaidthehunterswithafewpeppermintsapieceNedretiredtomakeTommy’sbed。
Foranhourtheoldwillowsighedandsungtoitself，talkedwiththebrook，andwatchedthelengtheningshadowsasthesunwentdown。Thefirstrosycolorwastouchingitsgracefulbrancheswhenaboycamestealinguptheavenue，acrossthelawn，and，spyingBillybythebrook-side，wenttohim，saying，inamysterioustone，­；