Chapter 47
'I've grown very much, but two years have changed you entirely'; and
Bess looked up with girlish pleasure at the picturesque figure before
her--for it was a decided contrast to the well-dressed people about
her.
Before they could say more, Josie rushed in, and, forgetfull of the
newly acquired dignity of her teens, let Dan catch her up and kiss
her like a child. Not till he set her down did he discover she also
was changed, and exclaimed in comic dismay:
'Hallo! Why, you are growing up too! What am I going to do, with no
young one to play with? Here's Ted going it like a beanstalk, and
Bess a young lady, and even you, my mustard-seed, letting down your
frocks and putting on airs.'
The girls laughed, and Josie blushed as she stared at the tall man,
conscious that she had leaped before she looked. They made a pretty
contrast, these two young cousins--one as fair as a lily, the other a
little wild rose. And Dan gave a nod of satisfaction as he surveyed
them; for he had seen many bonny girls in his travels, and was glad
that these old friends were blooming so beautifully.
'Here! we can't allow any monopoly of Dan!' called Mrs Jo. 'Bring him
back and keep an eye on him, or he will be slipping off for another
little run of a year or two before we have half seen him.'
Led by these agreeable captors, Dan returned to the parlour to
receive a scolding from Josie for getting ahead of all the other boys
and looking like a man first.
'Emil is older; but he's only a boy, and dances jigs and sings sailor
songs just as he used to. You look about thirty, and as big and black
as a villain in a play. Oh, I've got a splendid idea! You are just
the thing for Arbaces in The Last Days of Pompeii. We want to act it;
have the lion and the gladiators and the eruption. Tom and Ted are
going to shower bushels of ashes down and roll barrels of stones
about. We wanted a dark man for the Egyptian; and you will be
gorgeous in red and white shawls. Won't he, Aunt Jo?'
This deluge of words made Dan clap his hands over his ears; and
before Mrs Bhaer could answer her impetuous niece the Laurences, with