Onelistenerhehadwhonevertired，andtowhomhewasmorethanamereschoolmate。PoorBilly’schiefdelightwastoliebesidethebrook，watchingleavesandbitsoffoamdanceby，listeningdreamilytothemusicinthewillow-tree。HeseemedtothinkNatasortofangelwhosataloftandsang，forafewbabymemoriesstilllingeredinhismindandseemedtogrowbrighteratthesetimes。SeeingtheinteresthetookinNat，Mr。
Bhaerbeggedhimtohelpthemliftthecloudfromthefeeblebrainbythisgentlespell。Gladtodoanythingtoshowhisgratitude，NatalwayssmiledonBillywhenhefollowedhimabout，andlethimlistenundisturbedtothemusicwhichseemedtospeakalanguagehecouldunderstand。“Helponeanother，“wasafavoritePlumfieldmotto，andNatlearnedhowmuchsweetnessisaddedtolifebytryingtoliveuptoit。
JackFord’speculiarpastimewasbuyingandselling；andhebidfairtofollowinthefootstepsofhisuncle，acountrymerchant，whosoldalittleofeverythingandmademoneyfast。Jackhadseenthesugarsanded，themolasseswatered，thebuttermixedwithlard，andthingsofthatkind，andlaboredunderthedelusionthatitwasallaproperpartofthebusiness。
Hisstockintradewasofadifferentsort，buthemadeasmuchashecouldoutofeverywormhesold，andalwaysgotthebestofthebargainwhenhetradedwiththeboysforstring，knives，fish-hooks，orwhateverthearticlemightbe。Theboyswhoallhadnicknames，calledhim“Skinflint，“
butJackdidnotcareaslongastheoldtobacco-pouchinwhichhekepthismoneygrewheavierandheavier。
Heestablishedasortofauction-room，andnowandthensoldoffalltheoddsandendshehadcollected，orhelpedtheladsexchangethingswithoneanother。Hegotbats，balls，hockey-sticks，etc。，cheap，fromonesetofmates，furbishedthemup，andletthemforafewcentsatimetoanotherset，oftenextendinghisbusinessbeyondthegatesofPlumfieldinspiteoftherules。Mr。Bhaerputastoptosomeofhisspeculations，andtriedtogivehimabetterideaofbusinesstalentthanmeresharpnessinoverreachinghisneighbors。NowandthenJackmadeabadbargain，andfeltworseaboutitthanaboutanyfailureinlessonsorconduct，andtookhisrevengeonthenextinnocentcustomerwhocamealong。Hisaccount-bookwasacuriosity；andhisquicknessatfiguresquiteremarkable。Mr。Bhaerpraisedhimforthis，andtriedtomakehissenseofhonestyandhonorasquick；and，byandby，whenJackfoundthathecouldnotgetonwithoutthesevirtues，heownedthathisteacherwasright。
Cricketandfootballtheboyshadofcourse；but，afterthestirringaccountsofthesegamesintheimmortal“TomBrownatRugby，“nofeeblefemalepenmayventuretodomorethanrespectfullyalludetothem。
Emilspenthisholidaysontheriverorthepond，anddrilledtheelderladsforaracewithcertaintownboys，whonowandtheninvadedtheirterritory。Theracedulycameoff，butasitendedinageneralshipwreck，itwasnotmentionedinpublic；andtheCommodorehadseriousthoughtsofretiringtoadesertisland，sodisgustedwashewithhiskindforatime。Nodesertislandbeingconvenient，hewasforcedtoremainamonghisfriends，andfoundconsolationinbuildingaboat-house。
Thelittlegirlsindulgedintheusualplaysoftheirage，improvinguponthemsomewhatastheirlivelyfanciessuggested。Thechiefandmostabsorbingplaywascalled“Mrs。ShakespeareSmith；“thenamewasprovidedbyAuntJo，butthetrialsofthepoorladywerequiteoriginal。DaisywasMrs。S。S。，andNanbyturnsherdaughteroraneighbor，Mrs。Giddygaddy。
Nopencandescribetheadventuresoftheseladies，forinoneshortafternoontheirfamilywasthesceneofbirths，marriages，deaths，floods，earthquakes，tea-parties，andballoonascensions。Millionsofmilesdidtheseenergeticwomentravel，dressedinhatsandhabitsneverseenbeforebymortaleye，perchedonthebed，drivingthepostslikemettlesomesteeds，andbouncingupanddowntilltheirheadsspun。Fitsandfireswerethepetafflictions，withageneralmassacrenowandthenbywayofchange。
Nanwasnevertiredofinventingfreshcombinations，andDaisyfollowedherleaderwithblindadmiration。PoorTeddywasafrequentvictim，andwasoftenrescuedfromrealdanger，fortheexcitedladieswereapttoforgetthathewasnotofthesamestufftheirlongsufferingdolls。Oncehewasshutintotheclosetforadungeon，andforgottenbythegirls，whoranofftosomeout-of-doorgame。Anothertimehewashalfdrownedinthebath-tub，playingbea“cunninglittlewhale。“And，worstofall，hewascutdownjustintimeafterbeinghungupforarobber。
ButtheinstitutionmostpatronizedbyallwastheClub。Ithadnoothername，anditneedednone，beingtheonlyoneintheneighborhood。Theelderladsgotitup，andtheyoungerwereoccasionallyadmittediftheybehavedwell。TommyandDemiwerehonorarymembers，butwerealwaysobligedtoretireunpleasantlyearly，owingtocircumstancesoverwhichtheyhadnocontrol。Theproceedingsofthisclubweresomewhatpeculiar，foritmetatallsortsofplacesandhours，hadallmannerofqueerceremoniesandamusements，andnowandthenwasbrokenuptempestuously，onlytobere-established，however，onafirmerbasis。
Rainyeveningsthemembersmetintheschoolroom，andpassedthetimeingames：chess，morris，backgammon，fencingmatches，recitations，debates，ordramaticperformancesofadarklytragicalnature。Insummerthebarnwastherendezvous，andwhatwentontherenouninitiatedmortalknows。
OnsultryeveningstheClubadjournedtothebrookforaquaticexercises，andthememberssataboutinairyattire，frog-likeandcool。Onsuchoccasionsthespeecheswereunusuallyeloquent，quiteflowing，asonemightsay；
andifanyorator’sremarksdispleasedtheaudience，coldwaterwasthrownuponhimtillhisardorwaseffectuallyquenched。Franzwaspresident，andmaintainedorderadmirably，consideringtheunrulynatureofthemembers。
Mr。Bhaerneverinterferedwiththeiraffairs，andwasrewardedforthiswiseforbearancebybeinginvitednowandthentobeholdthemysteriesunveiled，whichheappearedtoenjoymuch。
WhenNancameshewishedtojointheClub，andcausedgreatexcitementanddivisionamongthegentlemenbypresentingendlesspetitions，bothwrittenandspoken，disturbingtheirsolemnitiesbyinsultingthemthroughthekey-hole，performingvigoroussolosonthedoor，andwritingupderisiveremarksonwallsandfences，forshebelongedtothe“Irrepressibles。“
Findingtheseappealsinvain，thegirls，bytheadviceofMrs。Jo，gotupaninstitutionoftheirown，whichtheycalledtheCosyClub。Tothistheymagnanimouslyinvitedthegentlemenwhoseyouthexcludedthemfromtheotherone，andentertainedthesefavoredbeingssowellwithlittlesuppers，newgamesdevisedbyNan，andotherpleasingfestivities，that，onebyone，theelderboysconfessedadesiretopartakeofthesemoreelegantenjoyments，and，aftermuchconsultation，finallydecidedtoproposeaninterchangeofcivilities。
ThemembersoftheCosyClubwereinvitedtoadorntherivalestablishmentoncertainevenings，andtothesurpriseofthegentlementheirpresencewasnotfoundtobearestraintupontheconversationoramusementoftheregularfrequenters；whichcouldnotbesaidofallClubs，Ifancy。Theladiesrespondedhandsomelyandhospitablytotheseoverturesofpeace，andbothinstitutionsflourishedlongandhappily。CHAPTERIXDAISY’SBALL
“Mrs。ShakespeareSmithwouldliketohaveMr。JohnBrooke，Mr。ThomasBangs，andMr。NathanielBlaketocometoherballatthreeo’clocktoday。
“P。S。­；Natmustbringhisfiddle，sowecandance，andalltheboysmustbegood，ortheycannothaveanyofthenicethingswehavecooked。“
Thiselegantinvitationwould，Ifear，havebeendeclined，butforthehintgiveninthelastlineofthepostscript。
“Theyhavebeencookinglotsofgoodies，Ismelt’em。Let’sgo，“
saidTommy。
“Weneedn’tstayafterthefeast，youknow，“addedDemi。
“Ineverwenttoaball。Whatdoyouhavetodo？“askedNat。
“Oh，wejustplaybemen，andsitroundstiffandstupidlikegrown-upfolks，anddancetopleasethegirls。Thenweeatupeverything，andcomeawayassoonaswecan。“
“IthinkIcoulddothat，“saidNat，afterconsideringTommy’sdescriptionforaminute。
“I’llwriteandsaywe’llcome；“andDemidespatchedthefollowinggentlemanlyreply，­；
“Wewillallcome。Pleasehavelotstoeat。­；J。B。Esquire。“
Greatwastheanxietyoftheladiesabouttheirfirstball，becauseifeverythingwentwelltheyintendedtogiveadinner-partytothechosenfew。
“AuntJolikestohavetheboysplaywithus，iftheyarenotrough；
sowemustmakethemlikeourballs，thentheywilldothemgood，“saidDaisy，withhermaternalair，asshesetthetableandsurveyedthestoreofrefreshmentswithananxiouseye。
“DemiandNatwillbegood，butTommywilldosomethingbad，Iknowhewill，“repliedNan，shakingherheadoverthelittlecake-basketwhichshewasarranging。
“ThenIshallsendhimrighthome，“saidDaisy，withdecision。
“Peopledon’tdosoatparties，itisn’tproper。“
“Ishallneveraskhimanymore。“
“Thatwoulddo。He’dbesorrynottocometothedinner-ball，wouldn’the？“
“Iguesshewould!we’llhavethesplendidestthingseverseen，won’twe？Realsoupwithaladleandatureem[shemeanttureen]andalittlebirdforturkey，andgravy，andallkindsofnicevegytubbles。“
Daisynevercouldsayvegetablesproperly，andhadgivenuptrying。
“Itis’mostthree，andweoughttodress，“saidNan，whohadarrangedafinecostumefortheoccasion，andwasanxioustowearit。
“Iamthemother，soIshan’tdressupmuch，“saidDaisy，puttingonanight-capornamentedwitharedbow，oneofheraunt’slongskirts，andashawl；apairofspectaclesandlargepockethandkerchiefcompletedhertoilette，makingaplump，rosylittlematronofher。
Nanhadawreathofartificialflowers，apairofoldpinkslippers，ayellowscarf，agreenmuslinskirt，andafanmadeoffeathersfromtheduster；also，asalasttouchofelegance，asmelling-bottlewithoutanysmellinit。
“Iamthedaughter，soIrigupagooddeal，andImustsinganddance，andtalkmorethanyoudo。Themothersonlygettheteaandbeproper，youknow。“
AsuddenveryloudknockcausedMissSmithtoflyintoachair，andfanherselfviolently，whilehermammasatboltuprightonthesofa，andtriedtolookquitecalmand“proper。“LittleBess，whowasonavisit，actedthepartofmaid，andopenedthedoor，sayingwithasmile，“Wartin，gemplemun；it’sallweady。“
Inhonoroftheoccasion，theboysworehighpapercollars，tallblackhats，andglovesofeverycolorandmaterial，fortheywereanafterthought，andnotaboyamongthemhadaperfectpair。
“Goodday，mum，“saidDemi，inadeepvoice，whichwassohardtokeepupthathisremarkshadtobeextremelybrief。
Everyoneshookhandsandthensatdown，lookingsofunny，yetsosober，thatthegentlemenforgottheirmanners，androlledintheirchairswithlaughter。
“Oh，don’t!“criedMrs。Smith，muchdistressed。
“Youcan’tevercomeagainifyouactso，“addedMissSmith，rappingMr。Bangswithherbottlebecausehelaughedloudest。
“Ican’thelpit，youlooksolikefury，“gaspedMr。Bangs，withmostuncourteouscandor。
“Sodoyou，butIshouldn’tbesorudeastosayso。Heshan’tcometothedinner-ball，shallhe，Daisy？“criedNan，indignantly。
“Ithinkwehadbetterdancenow。Didyoubringyourfiddle，sir？“askedMrs。Smith，tryingtopreserveherpolitecomposure。
“Itisoutsidethedoor，“andNatwenttogetit。
“Betterhaveteafirst，“proposedtheunabashedTommy，winkingopenlyatDemitoremindhimthatthesoonertherefreshmentsweresecured，thesoonertheycouldescape。
“No，weneverhavesupperfirst；andifyoudon’tdancewellyouwon’thaveanysupperatall，notonebit，sir，“saidMrs。Smith，sosternlythatherwildguestssawshewasnottobetrifledwith，andgrewoverwhelminglycivilallatonce。
“IwilltakeMr。Bangsandteachhimthepolka，forhedoesnotknowitfittobeseen，“addedthehostess，withareproachfullookthatsoberedTommyatonce。
Natstruckup，andtheballopenedwithtwocouples，whowentconscientiouslythroughasomewhatvarieddance。Theladiesdidwell，becausetheylikedit，butthegentlemenexertedthemselvesfrommoreselfishmotives，foreachfeltthathemustearnhissupper，andlaboredmanfullytowardthatend。Wheneveryonewasoutofbreaththeywereallowedtorest；and，indeed，poorMrs。Smithneededit，forherlongdresshadtrippedherupmanytimes。