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。