cried Nat , clasping his hands , regardless of the bread and butter in them . `` It is a hard thing to do , but I must have this settled , for I can not have you watching each other like detectives , and the whole school disturbed in this way , did you put that dollar in the barn this morning ? '' asked Mr. Bhaer . Dan looked him straight in the face , and answered steadily , `` Yes , I did . '' A murmur went round the table , Tommy dropped his mug with a crash ; Daisy cried out , `` I knew it was n't Nat ; '' Nan began to cry , and Mrs. Jo left the room , looking so disappointed , sorry , and ashamed that Dan could not bear it . He hid his face in his hands a moment , then threw up his head , squared his shoulders as if settling some load upon them , and said , with the dogged look , and half-resolute , half-reckless tone he had used when he first came , `` I did it ; now you may do what you like to me , but I wo n't say another word about it . '' `` Not even that you are sorry ? '' asked Mr. Bhaer , troubled by the change in him . `` I ai n't sorry . '' `` I 'll forgive him without asking , '' said Tommy , feeling that it was harder somehow to see brave Dan disgraced than timid Nat . `` Do n't want to be forgiven , '' returned Dan , gruffly . `` Perhaps you will when you have thought about it quietly by yourself , I wo n't tell you now how surprised and disappointed I am , but by and by I will come up and talk to you in your room . '' `` Wo n't make any difference , '' said Dan , trying to speak defiantly , but failing as he looked at Mr. Bhaer 's sorrowful face ; and , taking his words for a dismissal , Dan left the room as if he found it impossible to stay . It would have done him good if he had stayed ; for the boys talked the matter over with such sincere regret , and pity , and wonder , it might have touched and won him to ask pardon . No one was glad to find that it was he , not even Nat ; for , spite of all his faults , and they were many , every one liked Dan now , because under his rough exterior lay some of the manly virtues which we most admire and love . Mrs. Jo had been the chief prop , as well as cultivator , of Dan ; and she took it sadly to heart that her last and most interesting boy had turned out so ill . The theft was bad , but the lying about it , and allowing another to suffer so much from an unjust suspicion was worse ; and most discouraging of all was the attempt to restore the money in an underhand way , for it showed not only a want of courage , but a power of deceit that boded ill for the future . Still more trying was his steady refusal to talk of the matter , to ask pardon , or express any remorse . Days passed ; and he went about his lessons and his work , silent , grim , and unrepentant . As if taking warning by their treatment of Nat , he asked no sympathy of any one , rejected the advances of the boys , and spent his leisure hours roaming about the fields and woods , trying to find playmates in the birds and beasts , and succeeding better than most boys would have done , because he knew and loved them so well .
`` If this goes on much longer , I 'm afraid he will run away again , for he is too young to stand a life like this , '' said Mr. XXXXX , quite dejected at the failure of all his efforts .
Bhaer Daisy Dan Days Jo Nat Tommy crash cultivator half-resolute