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 . 'Em il 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 . Wo n'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 Meg and her family , arrived , soon followed by Tom and Nan , and all sat down to listen to Dan 's adventures -- told in brief yet effective manner , as the varying expressions of interest , wonder , merriment , and suspense painted on the circle of faces round him plainly showed . The boys all wanted to start at once for California and make fortunes ; the girls could hardly wait for the curious and pretty things he had picked up for them in his travels ; while the elders rejoiced heartily over the energy and good prospects of their wild boy . ` Of course you will want to go back for another stroke of luck ; and I hope you will have it . But speculation is a dangerous game , and you may lose all you 've won , ' said Mr Laurie , who had enjoyed the stirring tale as much as any of the boys , and would have liked to rough it with Dan as well as they . ` I 've had enough of it , for a while at least ; too much like gambling . The excitement is all I care for , and it is n't good for me . I have a notion to try farming out West . It 's grand on a large scale ; and I feel as if steady work would be rather jolly after loafing round so long . I can make a beginning , and you can send me your black sheep to stock my place with . I tried sheep-farming in Australia , and know something about black ones , any way . ' A laugh chased away the sober look in Dan 's face as he ended ; and those who knew him best guessed that he had learned a lesson there in San Francisco , and dared not try again .
` That is a capital idea , XXXXX ! '
Arbaces Bhaer Dan Francisco Laurie Meg Nan Ted West parlour