My heart ! What shall I do ? I do n't know anything about them , thought Beth , and forgetting the boy 's misfortune in her flurry , she said , hoping to make him talk , `` I never saw any hunting , but I suppose you know all about it . '' `` I did once , but I can never hunt again , for I got hurt leaping a confounded five-barred gate , so there are no more horses and hounds for me , '' said Frank with a sigh that made Beth hate herself for her innocent blunder . `` Your deer are much prettier than our ugly buffaloes , '' she said , turning to the prairies for help and feeling glad that she had read one of the boys ' books in which Jo delighted . Buffaloes proved soothing and satisfactory , and in her eagerness to amuse another , Beth forgot herself , and was quite unconscious of her sisters ' surprise and delight at the unusual spectacle of Beth talking away to one of the dreadful boys , against whom she had begged protection . `` Bless her heart ! She pities him , so she is good to him , '' said Jo , beaming at her from the croquet ground . `` I always said she was a little saint , '' added Meg , as if there could be no further doubt of it . `` I have n't heard Frank laugh so much for ever so long , '' said Grace to Amy , as they sat discussing dolls and making tea sets out of the acorn cups . `` My sister Beth is a very fastidious girl , when she likes to be , '' said Amy , well pleased at Beth 's success . She meant ` facinating ' , but as Grace did n't know the exact meaning of either word , fastidious sounded well and made a good impression . An impromptu circus , fox and geese , and an amicable game of croquet finished the afternoon . At sunset the tent was struck , hampers packed , wickets pulled up , boats loaded , and the whole party floated down the river , singing at the tops of their voices . Ned , getting sentimental , warbled a serenade with the pensive refrain ... Alone , alone , ah ! Woe , alone , and at the lines ... We each are young , we each have a heart , Oh , why should we stand thus coldly apart ? he looked at Meg with such a lackadiasical expression that she laughed outright and spoiled his song . `` How can you be so cruel to me ? '' he whispered , under cover of a lively chorus . `` You 've kept close to that starched-up Englishwoman all day , and now you snub me . ''
`` I did n't mean to , but you looked so funny I really could n't help it , '' replied XXXXX , passing over the first part of his reproach , for it was quite true that she had shunned him , remembering the Moffat party and the talk after it .
Amy Englishwoman Frank Jo Meg Ned acorn croquet day prairies