“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；