The hall , however , presented the most inviting prospect of all , for a brisk game of tag was going on in the upper entry . One landing was devoted to marbles , the other to checkers , while the stairs were occupied by a boy reading , a girl singing a lullaby to her doll , two puppies , a kitten , and a constant succession of small boys sliding down the banisters , to the great detriment of their clothes and danger to their limbs . So absorbed did Nat become in this exciting race , that he ventured farther and farther out of his corner ; and when one very lively boy came down so swiftly that he could not stop himself , but fell off the banisters , with a crash that would have broken any head but one rendered nearly as hard as a cannon-ball by eleven years of constant bumping , Nat forgot himself , and ran up to the fallen rider , expecting to find him half-dead . The boy , however , only winked rapidly for a second , then lay calmly looking up at the new face with a surprised , `` Hullo ! '' `` Hullo ! '' returned Nat , not knowing what else to say , and thinking that form of reply both brief and easy . `` Are you a new boy ? '' asked the recumbent youth , without stirring . `` Do n't know yet . '' `` What 's your name ? '' `` Nat Blake . '' `` Mine 's Tommy Bangs . Come up and have a go , will you ? '' and Tommy got upon his legs like one suddenly remembering the duties of hospitality . `` Guess I wo n't , till I see whether I 'm going to stay or not , '' returned Nat , feeling the desire to stay increase every moment . `` I say , Demi , here 's a new one . Come and see to him ; '' and the lively Thomas returned to his sport with unabated relish . At his call , the boy reading on the stairs looked up with a pair of big brown eyes , and after an instant 's pause , as if a little shy , he put the book under his arm , and came soberly down to greet the new-comer , who found something very attractive in the pleasant face of this slender , mild-eyed boy . `` Have you seen Aunt Jo ? '' he asked , as if that was some sort of important ceremony .
`` I have n't seen anybody yet but you boys ; I 'm waiting , '' answered XXXXX .
Bangs Blake Demi Hullo Nat Thomas checkers crash new-comer years