Drop your pills and powders , and cavort round the world a spell , and you 'll soon forget you 've got a heart , or a stomach either , ' said Dan , offering his one panacea for all ills . ` Ship with me , Tom . A good fit of seasickness will set you up , and a stiff north-easter blow your blue-devils away . Come along as surgeon -- easy berth , and no end of larks . ' ' `` And if your Nancy frowns , my lad , And scorns a jacket blue , Just hoist your sails for other ports , And find a maid more true . '' ' added Emil , who had a fragment of song to cheer every care and sorrow , and freely offered them to his friends . ` Perhaps I 'll think of it when I 've got my diploma . I 'm not going to grind three mortal years and have nothing to show for it . Till then , -- ' ` I 'll never desert Mrs Micawber , ' interrupted Teddy , with a gurgling sob . Tom immediately rolled him off the step into the wet grass below ; and by the time this slight skirmish was over , the jingle of teaspoons suggested refreshments of a more agreeable sort . In former times the little girls waited on the boys , to save confusion ; now the young men flew to serve the ladies , young and old ; and that slight fact showed plainly how the tables were turned by time . And what a pleasant arrangement it was ! Even Josie sat still , and let Emil bring her berries ; enjoying her young lady-hood , till Ted stole her cake , when she forgot manners , and chastised him with a rap on the knuckles . As guest of honour , Dan was only allowed to wait on Bess , who still held the highest place in this small world . Tom carefully selected the best of everything for Nan , to be crushed by the remark : ' I never eat at this hour ; and you will have a nightmare if you do . ' So , dutifully curbing the pangs of hunger , he gave the plate to Daisy , and chewed rose-leaves for his supper . When a surprising quantity of wholesome nourishment had been consumed , someone said , ` Let 's sing ! ' and a tuneful hour followed . Nat fiddled , Demi piped , Dan strummed the old banjo , and Emil warbled a doleful ballad about the wreck of the Bounding Betsey ; then everybody joined in the old songs till there was very decidedly ` music in the air ' ; and passers-by said , as they listened smiling : ` Old Plum is gay tonight ! ' When all had gone Dan lingered on the piazza , enjoying the balmy wind that blew up from the hayfields , and brought the breath of flowers from Parnassus ; and as he leaned there romantically in the moonlight , Mrs Jo came to shut the door .
` Dreaming dreams , XXXXX ? '
Bess Betsey Dan Emil Nan Nancy Nat Tom hour rose-leaves