If I had any place to go to , I 'd run away , though I love Plumfield dearly ; but I 'm not brave and big like you , so I must stay and wait till some one shows them that I have n't lied . '' As he spoke , Nat looked so broken and despairing , that Dan could not bear it , and , muttered huskily , `` You wo n't wait long , '' and he walked rapidly away , and was seen no more for hours . `` What is the matter with Dan ? '' asked the boys of one another several times during the Sunday that followed a week which seemed as if it would never end . Dan was often moody , but that day he was so sober and silent that no one could get any thing out of him . When they walked he strayed away from the rest , and came home late . He took no part in the evening conversation , but sat in the shadow , so busy with his own thoughts that he scarcely seemed to hear what was going on . When Mrs. Jo showed him an unusually good report in the Conscience Book , he looked at it without a smile , and said , wistfully , `` You think I am getting on , do n't you ? '' `` Excellently , Dan ! and I am so pleased , because I always thought you only needed a little help to make you a boy to be proud of . '' He looked up at her with a strange expression in his black eyes an expression of mingled pride and love and sorrow which she could not understand then but remembered afterward . `` I 'm afraid you 'll be disappointed , but I do try , '' he said , shutting the book with no sign of pleasure in the page that he usually liked so much to read over and talk about . `` Are you sick , dear ? '' asked Mrs. Jo , with her hand on his shoulder . `` My foot aches a little ; I guess I 'll go to bed . Good-night , mother , '' he added , and held the hand against his cheek a minute , then went away looking as if he had said good-bye to something dear . `` Poor Dan ! he takes Nat 's disgrace to heart sadly . He is a strange boy ; I wonder if I ever shall understand him thoroughly ? '' said Mrs. Jo to herself , as she thought over Dan 's late improvement with real satisfaction , yet felt that there was more in the lad than she had at first suspected .
One of things which cut Nat most deeply was an act of Tommy 's , for after his loss Tommy had said to him , kindly , but firmly , `` I do n't wish to hurt you , XXXXX , but you see I ca n't afford to lose my money , so I guess we wo n't be partners any longer ; '' and with that Tommy rubbed out the sign , `` T. Bangs & Co. '' Nat had been very proud of the `` Co. , '' and had hunted eggs industriously , kept his accounts all straight , and had added a good sum to his income from the sale of his share of stock in trade .
Dan Jo Nat Plumfield day evening first hours minute week