and there was Mrs. Jo in the doorway waving her dish-towel , and looking as if she wanted to dance a jig for joy , as she used to do when a girl . `` Now then , '' cried Mr. Bhaer , and led off a rousing hurrah , which startled Asia in the kitchen , and made old Mr. Roberts shake his head as he drove by , saying , `` Schools are not what they were when I was young ! '' Dan stood it pretty well for a minute , but the sight of Mrs. Jo 's delight upset him , and he suddenly bolted across the hall into the parlor , whither she instantly followed , and neither were seen for half an hour . Mr. Bhaer found it very difficult to calm his excited flock ; and , seeing that lessons were an impossibility for a time , he caught their attention by telling them the fine old story of the friends whose fidelity to one another has made their names immortal . The lads listened and remembered , for just then their hearts were touched by the loyalty of a humbler pair of friends . The lie was wrong , but the love that prompted it and the courage that bore in silence the disgrace which belonged to another , made Dan a hero in their eyes . Honesty and honor had a new meaning now ; a good name was more precious than gold ; for once lost money could not buy it back ; and faith in one another made life smooth and happy as nothing else could do . Tommy proudly restored the name of the firm ; Nat was devoted to Dan ; and all the boys tried to atone to both for former suspicion and neglect . Mrs. Jo rejoiced over her flock , and Mr. Bhaer was never tired of telling the story of his young Damon and Pythias . CHAPTER XV . IN THE WILLOW The old tree saw and heard a good many little scenes and confidences that summer , because it became the favorite retreat of all the children , and the willow seemed to enjoy it , for a pleasant welcome always met them , and the quiet hours spent in its arms did them all good . It had a great deal of company one Saturday afternoon , and some little bird reported what went on there . First came Nan and Daisy with their small tubs and bits of soap , for now and then they were seized with a tidy fit , and washed up all their dolls ' clothes in the brook . Asia would not have them `` slopping round '' in her kitchen , and the bath-room was forbidden since Nan forgot to turn off the water till it overflowed and came gently dripping down through the ceiling . Daisy went systematically to work , washing first the white and then the colored things , rinsing them nicely , and hanging them to dry on a cord fastened from one barberry-bush to another , and pinning them up with a set of tiny clothes-pins Ned had turned for her . But Nan put all her little things to soak in the same tub , and then forgot them while she collected thistledown to stuff a pillow for Semiramis , Queen of Babylon , as one doll was named . This took some time , and when Mrs. Giddy-gaddy came to take out her clothes , deep green stains appeared on every thing , for she had forgotten the green silk lining of a certain cape , and its color had soaked nicely into the pink and blue gowns , the little chemises , and even the best ruffled petticoat . `` Oh me ! what a mess ! '' sighed Nan .
`` Lay them on the grass to bleach , '' said XXXXX , with an air of experience .
Asia Daisy Dan Giddy-gaddy Jo Pythias barberry-bush bath-room dish-towel minute