When the church-goers came back and dinner was over, every one read, wrote letters home, or talked quietly to one another, sitting here and there about the house. At three oclock the entire family went to walk. Nat was not strong enough for the long walk, and asked to stay at home with Tommy, who kindly offered to show him Plumfield.
Youve seen the house, so come out and have a look at the garden, and the barn, and the menagerie, said Tommy.
What is your menagerie? asked Nat, as they trotted along the road that encircled the house.
We all have pets, you see, and we keep them in the corn-barn, and call it the menagerie. Here you are. Isnt my guinea-pig[7] a beauty? and Tommy proudly presented one of the ugliest animal that Nat ever saw.
Those white mice are Robs, Franz gave them to him. The rabbits are Neds, and the bantams outside are Stuffys. That box is Demis turtle-tank.
What is in this box? asked Nat, stopping before a large deep one, half-full of earth.
Oh, thats Jack Fords worm-shop[8]. He digs heaps of them and keeps them here, and when we want to go fishing with, we buy some of him. It saves lots of trouble, only he charged too much for them. Now, I own two hens, those gray ones with top knots, and I sell Mrs. Bhaer the eggs, but I never ask her more than twenty-five cents a dozen, never! cried Tommy.
Who owns the dogs? asked Nat.
The big dog is Emils. His name is Christopher Columbus, answered Tommy. The white pup is Robs, and the yellow one is Teddys. A man was going to drown them in our pond, and Papa Bhaer didnt let him. Their names are Castor and Pollux.
Nat climbed up a ladder, put his head through a trap door and looked at the pretty doves.
How do you get these animals? he asked, when he joined Tommy in the barn.
We find them or buy them, or folks give them to us. My father sends me mine, said Tommy, with the air of a millionaire.
Nat sighed, for he had neither father nor money, nothing in the wide world but an old empty pocketbook. Tommy understood the sigh which followed his answer,
Look here, Ill tell you what Ill do. If you hunt eggs for me I hate it Ill give you one egg out of every dozen. When you have twelve, Mother Bhaer will give you twenty-five cents for them, and then you can buy what you like.
Ill do it! What a kind fellow you are, Tommy! cried Nat, quite dazzled by this brilliant offer.
Pooh! You begin now and rummage the barn, and Ill wait here for you. Granny is cackling, so youre find one somewhere, and Tommy threw himself down on the hay.
Nat joyfully began his search, and he found two fine eggs.
You may have one and Ill have the other, and tomorrow well start again. Here, you chalk your accounts up near mine, said Tommy.
Then Tommy took Nat to an old willow-tree. From the fence it was an easy scramble into a wide niche between the three big branches. Here little seats had been fixed,
This is Demis and my private place; we made it, and nobody can come up unless we let them, except Daisy, said Tommy.
Oh, its just beautiful! cried Nat. I hope youll let me up sometimes. I never saw such a nice place in all my life. Id like to be a bird, and live here always.
It is pretty nice. You can come if Demi doesnt mind, and I guess he wont, because he said last night that he liked you.
Did he? and Nat smiled with pleasure.
Yes; Demi likes quiet boys. And you can read books together.
I cant read very well; I never had any time, you know.
Punishment
Nat was very fond of Mrs. Bhaer, but found something even more attractive in the good professor, who took fatherly care of the shy feeble boy. Father Bhaer took pleasure in fostering poor Nats virtues, and in curing his faults, finding his new pupil as docile and affectionate as a girl. He often called Nat his daughter when speaking of him to Mrs. Jo.
One fault of Nats gave the Bhaers much anxiety. Nat sometimes told lies[9]. A lie is a lie, it is not right, and everybody knows it.
Watch your tongue, and eyes, and hands, for it is easy to tell, and look, and act untruth, said Mr. Bhaer to Nat one day.
I know it. I used to tell lies because I was afraid of father and Nicolo, and now I do sometimes because the boys laugh at me. I know its bad, but I forget, Nat looked much depressed by his sins.
When I was a little lad I used to tell lies! Ach! But my old grandmother cured me of it. How? My parents cried, and punished, but still did I forget as you. Then said the dear old grandmother, I shall help you to remember. With that she drew out my tongue and snipped the end with her scissors till the blood ran. That was terrible, you may believe, but it did me much good, because it was sore for days, and every word I said came so slowly that I had time to think. After that I was more careful, for I feared the big scissors.
I never had any grandmothers, but if you think it will cure me, Ill let you snip my tongue, said Nat, heroically, for he dreaded pain.
Mr. Bhaer smiled, but shook his head.
I have a better way than that, I tried it once before and it worked well. See now, when you tell a lie I will not punish you, but you will punish me.
How? asked Nat.
You will ferule me in the good old-fashioned way; I seldom do it myself, but it may make you remember better to give me pain than to feel it yourself.
Strike you? Oh, I cant! cried Nat.
Then watch your tongue. I have no wish to be hurt, but I will gladly bear much pain to cure this fault.
This suggestion made such an impression on Nat, that for a long time he watched upon his lips, and was desperately accurate. But alas! One sad day, when Emil threatened to thrash him, if it was he who had run over his garden and broken down his best hills of corn, Nat declared he didnt, and then was ashamed to own up that he did do it, when Jack was chasing him the night before.
He thought no one saw it, but Tommy happened to see him, and when Emil spoke of it a day or two later, Tommy gave his evidence, and Mr. Bhaer heard it. School was over, and Mr. Bhaer took Nat by the hand and led him into the school and shut the door.
You remember what I told you last time? said Mr. Bhaer, sorrowfully, not angrily.
Yes; but please dont make me beat you, cried Nat, with both hands behind him, and a face full of distress.
I shall keep my word, and you must remember to tell the truth. Obey me, Nat, take this and give me six good strokes.
Nat took the rule, for when Mr. Bhaer spoke in that tone everyone obeyed him. The boy gave two feeble blows on the broad hand held out to him. Then he stopped and looked up half-blind with tears, but Mr. Bhaer said steadily:
Go on, and strike harder.
Nat drew his sleeve across his eyes and gave two more quick hard strokes that reddened the hand, yet hurt the giver more.
Isnt that enough? he asked.
Two more, was all the answer, and he gave them, then threw the rule all across the room, and hugging the kind hand in both his own, laid his face down:
I will remember! Oh! I will!
Then Mr. Bhaer put an arm about him[10], and said in a compassionate tone:
I think you will. Ask the dear God to help you.
Tommy saw it through the window. He said no more, for he crept back to the hall, looking so excited that the boys crowded round him to ask him about Nat. In a most impressive whisper Tommy told them.
He made me do the same thing once, said Emil.
And you hit him? dear old Father Bhaer?
It was so long ago.
Nat did not come to dinner, but Mrs. Jo took some up to him, and said a tender word, though he could not look at her. He opened door to slip away into the woods. The walk did Nat good, and he came home quieter than usual.
No one said a word about the scene of the morning, but its effect was lasting. Nat tried his very best, and found much help from the earnest little prayers he prayed to his Friend in heaven.
A Trouble-Maker
Please, maam, could I speak to you? It is something very important, said Nat one day, popping his head in at the door of Mrs. Bhaers room.