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 ca n'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 . '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 XXXXX 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 .
Arbaces Bess Dan Egyptian Jo Ted Tom first parlour year