You must be fair , and no pay too much , because I want to truly earn it . '' `` My little John , I will be fair , and not pay a penny too much . Do n't work too hard ; and when that is done I will have something else for you to do , '' said Mrs. Jo , much touched by his desire to help , and his sense of justice , so like his scrupulous father . When the leaves were done , many barrowloads of chips were wheeled from the wood to the shed , and another dollar earned . Then Demi helped cover the schoolbooks , working in the evenings under Franz 's direction , tugging patiently away at each book , letting no one help , and receiving his wages with such satisfaction that the dingy bills became quite glorified in his sight . `` Now , I have a dollar for each of them , and I should like to take my money to mother all myself , so she can see that I have minded my father . '' So Demi made a duteous pilgrimage to his mother , who received his little earnings as a treasure of great worth , and would have kept it untouched , if Demi had not begged her to buy some useful thing for herself and the women-children , whom he felt were left to his care . This made him very happy , and , though he often forgot his responsibilities for a time , the desire to help was still there , strengthening with his years . He always uttered the words `` my father '' with an air of gentle pride , and often said , as if he claimed a title full of honor , `` Do n't call me Demi any more . I am John Brooke now . '' So , strengthened by a purpose and a hope , the little lad of ten bravely began the world , and entered into his inheritance , the memory of a wise and tender father , the legacy of an honest name . CHAPTER XX . ROUND THE FIRE With the October frosts came the cheery fires in the great fireplaces ; and Demi 's dry pine-chips helped Dan 's oak-knots to blaze royally , and go roaring up the chimney with a jolly sound . All were glad to gather round the hearth , as the evenings grew longer , to play games , read , or lay plans for the winter . But the favorite amusement was story-telling , and Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer were expected to have a store of lively tales always on hand . Their supply occasionally gave out , and then the boys were thrown upon their own resources , which were not always successful . Ghost-parties were the rage at one time ; for the fun of the thing consisted in putting out the lights , letting the fire die down , and then sitting in the dark , and telling the most awful tales they could invent . As this resulted in scares of all sorts among the boys , Tommy 's walking in his sleep on the shed roof , and a general state of nervousness in the little ones , it was forbidden , and they fell back on more harmless amusements . One evening , when the small boys were snugly tucked in bed , and the older lads were lounging about the school-room fire , trying to decide what they should do , Demi suggested a new way of settling the question . Seizing the hearth-brush , he marched up and down the room , saying , `` Row , row , row ; '' and when the boys , laughing and pushing , had got into line , he said , `` Now , I 'll give you two minutes to think of a play . ''
XXXXX was writing , and Emil reading the Life of Lord Nelson , and neither joined the party , but the others thought hard , and when the time was up were ready to reply .
Brooke Dan Franz Ghost-parties Jo barrowloads evening left oak-knots women-children