Miss Jo owes me one , so you are finished , '' cried Fred excitedly , as they all drew near to see the finish . `` Yankees have a trick of being generous to their enemies , '' said Jo , with a look that made the lad redden , `` especially when they beat them , '' she added , as , leaving Kate 's ball untouched , she won the game by a clever stroke . Laurie threw up his hat , then remembered that it would n't do to exult over the defeat of his guests , and stopped in the middle of the cheer to whisper to his friend , `` Good for you , Jo ! He did cheat , I saw him . We ca n't tell him so , but he wo n't do it again , take my word for it . '' Meg drew her aside , under pretense of pinning up a loose braid , and said approvingly , `` It was dreadfully provoking , but you kept your temper , and I 'm so glad , Jo . '' `` Do n't praise me , Meg , for I could box his ears this minute . I should certainly have boiled over if I had n't stayed among the nettles till I got my rage under control enough to hold my tongue . It 's simmering now , so I hope he 'll keep out of my way , '' returned Jo , biting her lips as she glowered at Fred from under her big hat . `` Time for lunch , '' said Mr. Brooke , looking at his watch . `` Commissary general , will you make the fire and get water , while Miss March , Miss Sallie , and I spread the table ? Who can make good coffee ? '' `` Jo can , '' said Meg , glad to recommend her sister . So Jo , feeling that her late lessons in cookery were to do her honor , went to preside over the coffeepot , while the children collected dry sticks , and the boys made a fire and got water from a spring near by . Miss Kate sketched and Frank talked to Beth , who was making little mats of braided rushes to serve as plates . The commander in chief and his aides soon spread the tablecloth with an inviting array of eatables and drinkables , prettily decorated with green leaves . Jo announced that the coffee was ready , and everyone settled themselves to a hearty meal , for youth is seldom dyspeptic , and exercise develops wholesome appetites . A very merry lunch it was , for everything seemed fresh and funny , and frequent peals of laughter startled a venerable horse who fed near by . There was a pleasing inequality in the table , which produced many mishaps to cups and plates , acorns dropped in the milk , little black ants partook of the refreshments without being invited , and fuzzy caterpillars swung down from the tree to see what was going on . Three white-headed children peeped over the fence , and an objectionable dog barked at them from the other side of the river with all his might and main .
`` There 's salt here , '' said Laurie , as he handed XXXXX a saucer of berries .
Beth Brooke Fred Jo Sallie cookery drinkables mishaps nettles tablecloth