“Ilikethat；tellmeabouttheothers。Whatdothesedo？“askedDemi，takingupanewbranch。
“Feedsilk-worms；theyliveonmulberryleaves，tilltheybegintospinthemselvesup。Iwasinasilk-factoryonce，andtherewereroomsfullofshelvesallcoveredwithleaves，andwormseatingthemsofastthatitmadearustle。Sometimestheyeatsomuchtheydie。TellthattoStuffy，“
andDanlaughed，ashetookupanotherbitofrockwithalichenonit。
“Iknowonethingaboutthismulleinleaf：thefairiesusethemforblankets，“saidDemi，whohadnotquitegivenuphisfaithintheexistenceofthelittlefolkingreen。
“IfIhadamicroscope，I’dshowyousomethingprettierthanfairies，“
saidDan，wonderingifheshouldeverownthatcovetedtreasure。“Iknewanoldwomanwhousedmulleinleavesforanight-capbecauseshehadface-ache。
Shesewedthemtogether，andworeitallthetime。“
“Howfunny!wassheyourgrandmother？“
“Neverhadany。Shewasaqueeroldwoman，andlivedaloneinalittletumble-downhousewithnineteencats。Folkscalledherawitch，butshewasn’t，thoughshelookedlikeanoldrag-bag。ShewasrealkindtomewhenIlivedinthatplace，andusedtoletmegetwarmatherfirewhenthefolksatthepoorhousewerehardonme。“
“Didyouliveinapoorhouse？“
“Alittlewhile。Nevermindthat­；Ididn’tmeantospeakofit；“
andDanstoppedshortinhisunusualfitofcommunicativeness。
“Tellaboutthecats，please，“saidDemi，feelingthathehadaskedanunpleasantquestion，andsorryforit。
“Nothingtotell；onlyshehadalotof’em，andkept’eminabarrelnights；andIusedtogoandtipoverthebarrelsometimes，andlet’emoutalloverthehouse，andthenshe’dscold，andchase’emandput’eminagain，spittingandyowlinglikefury。“
“Wasshegoodtothem？“askedDemi，withaheartychild’slaugh，pleasanttohear。
“Guessshewas。Pooroldsoul!shetookinallthelostandsickcatsinthetown；andwhenanybodywantedonetheywenttoMarmWebber，andshelet’empickanykindandcolortheywanted，andonlyaskedninepence，­；shewasgladtohaveherpussiesgetagoodhome。“
“IshouldliketoseeMarmWebber。CouldI，ifIwenttothatplace？“
“She’sdead。Allmyfolksare，“saidDan，briefly。
“I’msorry；“andDemisatsilentaminute，wonderingwhatsubjectwouldbesafetotrynext。Hefeltdelicateaboutspeakingofthedepartedlady，butwasverycuriousaboutthecats，andcouldnotresistaskingsoftly­；
“Didshecurethesickones？“
“Sometimes。Onehadabrokenleg，andshetiedituptoastick，anditgotwell；andanotherhadfits，andshedoctoreditwithyarbstillitwascured。Butsomeof’emdied，andsheburied’em；andwhentheycouldn’tgetwell，shekilled’emeasy。“
“How？“askedDemi，feelingthattherewasapeculiarcharmaboutthisoldwoman，andsomesortofjokeaboutthecats，becauseDanwassmilingtohimself。
“Akindlady，whowasfondofcats，toldherhow，andgavehersomestuff，andsentallherownpussiestobekilledthatway。Marmusedtoputaspongewetwithether，inthebottomofanoldboot，thenpokepussinheaddownwards。Theetherputhertosleepinajiffy，andshewasdrownedinwarmwaterbeforeshewokeup。“
“Ihopethecatsdidn’tfeelit。IshalltellDaisyaboutthat。Youhaveknownagreatmanyinterestingthings，haven’tyou？“askedDemi，andfelltomeditatingonthevastexperienceofaboywhohadrunawaymorethanonce，andtakencareofhimselfinabigcity。
“WishIhadn’tsometimes。“
“Why？Don’trememberingthemfeelgood？“
“No。“
“It’sverysingularhowharditistomanageyourmind，“saidDemi，claspinghishandsroundhisknees，andlookingupattheskyasifforinformationuponhisfavoritetopic。
“Devilishhard­；no，Idon’tmeanthat；“andDanbithislips，fortheforbiddenwordslippedoutinspiteofhim，andhewantedtobemorecarefulwithDemithanwithanyoftheotherboys。
“I’llplayIdidn’thearit，“saidDemi；“andyouwon’tdoitagain，I’msure。“
“NotifIcanhelpit。That’soneofthethingsIdon’twanttoremember。
Ikeeppeggingaway，butitdon’tseemtodomuchgood；“andDanlookeddiscouraged。
“Yes，itdoes。Youdon’tsayhalfsomanybadwordsasyouusedto；
andAuntJoispleased，becauseshesaiditwasahardhabittobreakup。“
“Didshe？“andDancheeredupabit。
“Youmustputswearingawayinyourfault-drawer，andlockitup；that’sthewayIdowithmybadness。“
“Whatdoyoumean？“askedDan，lookingasifhefoundDemialmostasamusingasanewsortofcockchaferorbeetle。
“Well，it’soneofmyprivateplays，andI’lltellyou，butIthinkyou’lllaughatit，“beganDemi，gladtoholdforthonthiscongenialsubject。
“Iplaythatmymindisaroundroom，andmysoulisalittlesortofcreaturewithwingsthatlivesinit。Thewallsarefullofshelvesanddrawers，andinthemIkeepmythoughts，andmygoodnessandbadness，andallsortsofthings。ThegoodsIkeepwhereIcanseethem，andthebadsIlockuptight，buttheygetout，andIhavetokeepputtingtheminandsqueezingthemdown，theyaresostrong。ThethoughtsIplaywithwhenIamaloneorinbed，andImakeupanddowhatIlikewiththem。EverySundayIputmyroominorder，andtalkwiththelittlespiritthatlivesthere，andtellhimwhattodo。Heisverybadsometimes，andwon’tmindme，andI
havetoscoldhim，andtakehimtoGrandpa。Healwaysmakeshimbehave，andbesorryforhisfaults，becauseGrandpalikesthisplay，andgivesmenicethingstoputinthedrawers，andtellsmehowtoshutupthenaughties。
Hadn’tyoubettertrythatway？It’saverygoodone；“andDemilookedsoearnestandfulloffaith，thatDandidnotlaughathisquaintfancy，butsaid，soberly，­；
“Idon’tthinkthereisalockstrongenoughtokeepmybadnessshutup。AnywaymyroomisinsuchaclutterIdon’tknowhowtoclearitup。“
“Youkeepyourdrawersinthecabinetallspandynice；whycan’tyoudotheothers？“
“Iain’tusedtoit。Willyoushowmehow？“andDanlookedasifinclinedtotryDemi’schildishwayofkeepingasoulinorder。
“I’dloveto，butIdon’tknowhow，excepttotalkasGrandpadoes。
Ican’tdoitgoodlikehim，butI’lltry。“
“Don’ttellanyone；onlynowandthenwe’llcomehereandtalkthingsover，andI’llpayyouforitbytellingallIknowaboutmysortofthings。
Willthatdo？“andDanheldouthisbig，roughhand。
Demigavehissmooth，littlehandreadily，andtheleaguewasmade；
forinthehappy，peacefulworldwheretheyoungerboylived，lionsandlambsplayedtogether，andlittlechildreninnocentlytaughttheirelders。
“Hush!“saidDan，pointingtowardthehouse，asDemiwasabouttoindulgeinanotherdiscourseonthebestwayofgettingbadnessdown，andkeepingitdown；andpeepingfromtheirperch，theysawMrs。Jostrollingslowlyalong，readingasshewent，whileTeddytrottedbehindher，draggingalittlecartupsidedown。
“Waittilltheyseeus，“whisperedDemi，andbothsatstillasthepaircamenearer，Mrs。JosoabsorbedinherbookthatshewouldhavewalkedintothebrookifTeddyhadnotstoppedherbysaying­；
“Marmar，Iwanterfis。“
Mrs。Joputdownthecharmingbookwhichshehadbeentryingtoreadforaweek，andlookedaboutherforafishing-pole，beingusedtomakingtoysoutofnothing。Beforeshehadbrokenonefromthehedge，aslenderwillowboughfellatherfeet；and，lookingup，shesawtheboyslaughinginthenest。
“Up!up!“criedTeddy，stretchinghisarmsandflappinghisskirtsasifabouttofly。
“I’llcomedownandyoucomeup。ImustgotoDaisynow；“andDemidepartedtorehearsethetaleofthenineteencats，withtheexcitingboot-and-barrelepisodes。
Teddywasspeedilywhiskedup；andthenDansaid，laughing，“Come，too；
there’splentyofroom。I’lllendyouahand。“
Mrs。Joglancedoverhershoulder，butnoonewasinsight；andratherlikingthejokeofthething，shelaughedback，saying，“Well，ifyouwon’tmentionit，IthinkIwill；“andwithtwonimblestepswasinthewillow。
“Ihaven’tclimbedatreesinceIwasmarried。IusedtobeveryfondofitwhenIwasagirl，“shesaid，lookingwell-pleasedwithhershadyperch。
“Now，youreadifyouwantto，andI’lltakecareofTeddy，“proposedDan，beginningtomakeafishing-rodforimpatientBaby。
“Idon’tthinkIcareaboutitnow。WhatwereyouandDemiatuphere？“
askedMrs。Jo，thinking，fromthesoberlookonDan’sface，thathehadsomethingonhismind。
“Oh!weweretalking。I’dbeentellinghimaboutleavesandthings，andhewastellingmesomeofhisqueerplays。Now，then，Major，fishaway；“
andDanfinishedoffhisworkbyputtingabigblueflyonthebentpinwhichhungattheendofthecordhehadtiedtothewillow-rod。
Teddyleaneddownfromthetree，andwassoonwraptupinwatchingforthefishwhichhefeltsurewouldcome。Danheldhimbyhislittlepetticoats，lestheshouldtakea“header“intothebrook，andMrs。Josoonwonhimtotalkbydoingsoherself。
“IamsogladyoutoldDemiabout’leavesandthings；’itisjustwhatheneeds；andIwishyouwouldteachhim，andtakehimtowalkwithyou。“
“I’dliketo，heissobright；but­；“
“Butwhat？“
“Ididn’tthinkyou’dtrustme。“
“Whynot？“
“Well，Demiissokindofprecious，andsogood，andI’msuchabadlot，Ithoughtyou’dkeephimawayfromme。“
“Butyouarenota’badlot，’asyousay；andIdotrustyou，Dan，entirely，becauseyouhonestlytrytoimprove，anddobetterandbettereveryweek。“
“Really？“andDanlookedupatherwiththecloudofdespondencyliftingfromhisface。
“Yes；don’tyoufeelit？“
“Ihopedso，butIdidn’tknow。“
“Ihavebeenwaitingandwatchingquietly，forIthoughtI’dgiveyouagoodtrialfirst；andifyoustoodit，IwouldgiveyouthebestrewardIhad。Youhavestooditwell；andnowI’mgoingtotrustnotonlyDemi，butmyownboy，toyou，becauseyoucanteachthemsomethingsbetterthananyofus。“
“CanI？“andDanlookedamazedattheidea。
“Demihaslivedamongolderpeoplesomuchthatheneedsjustwhatyouhave­；knowledgeofcommonthings，strength，andcourage。Hethinksyouarethebravestboyheeversaw，andadmiresyourstrongwayofdoingthings。
Thenyouknowagreatdealaboutnaturalobjects，andcantellhimmorewonderfultalesofbirds，andbees，andleaves，andanimals，thanhisstory-booksgivehim；and，beingtrue，thesestorieswillteachanddohimgood。Don’tyouseenowhowmuchyoucanhelphim，andwhyIliketohavehimwithyou？“
“ButIswearsometimes，andmighttellhimsomethingwrong。Iwouldn’tmeanto，butitmightslipout，justas’devil’didafewminutesago，“
saidDan，anxioustodohisduty，andletherknowhisshortcomings。
“Iknowyoutrynottosayordoanythingtoharmthelittlefellow，andhereiswhereIthinkDemiwillhelpyou，becauseheissoinnocentandwiseinhissmallway，andhaswhatIamtryingtogiveyou，dear，­；goodprinciples。Itisnevertooearlytotryandplanttheminachild，andnevertoolatetocultivatetheminthemostneglectedperson。Youareonlyboysyet；youcanteachoneanother。Demiwillunconsciouslystrengthenyourmoralsense，youwillstrengthenhiscommonsense，andIshallfeelasifIhadhelpedyouboth。“
WordscouldnotexpresshowpleasedandtouchedDanwasbythisconfidenceandpraise。Noonehadevertrustedhimbefore，noonehadcaredtofindoutandfosterthegoodinhim，andnoonehadsuspectedhowmuchtherewashiddenawayinthebreastoftheneglectedboy，goingfasttoruin，yetquicktofeelandvaluesympathyandhelp。Nohonorthathemightearnhereafterwouldeverbehalfsopreciousastherighttoteachhisfewvirtuesandsmallstoreoflearningtothechildwhomhemostrespected；