It 's you and Meg and Brooke who make it all go , and I 'm no end obliged to you . What shall we do when we ca n't eat anymore ? '' asked Laurie , feeling that his trump card had been played when lunch was over . `` Have games till it 's cooler . I brought Authors , and I dare say Miss Kate knows something new and nice . Go and ask her . She 's company , and you ought to stay with her more . '' `` Are n't you company too ? I thought she 'd suit Brooke , but he keeps talking to Meg , and Kate just stares at them through that ridiculous glass of hers . I 'm going , so you need n't try to preach propriety , for you ca n't do it , Jo . '' Miss Kate did know several new games , and as the girls would not , and the boys could not , eat any more , they all adjourned to the drawing room to play Rig-marole . `` One person begins a story , any nonsense you like , and tells as long as he pleases , only taking care to stop short at some exciting point , when the next takes it up and does the same . It 's very funny when well done , and makes a perfect jumble of tragical comical stuff to laugh over . Please start it , Mr. Brooke , '' said Kate , with a commanding air , which surprised Meg , who treated the tutor with as much respect as any other gentleman . Lying on the grass at the feet of the two young ladies , Mr. Brooke obediently began the story , with the handsome brown eyes steadily fixed upon the sunshiny river . `` Once on a time , a knight went out into the world to seek his fortune , for he had nothing but his sword and his shield . He traveled a long while , nearly eight-and-twenty years , and had a hard time of it , till he came to the palace of a good old king , who had offered a reward to anyone who could tame and train a fine but unbroken colt , of which he was very fond . The knight agreed to try , and got on slowly but surely , for the colt was a gallant fellow , and soon learned to love his new master , though he was freakish and wild . Every day , when he gave his lessons to this pet of the king 's , the knight rode him through the city , and as he rode , he looked everywhere for a certain beautiful face , which he had seen many times in his dreams , but never found . One day , as he went prancing down a quiet street , he saw at the window of a ruinous castle the lovely face .
He was delighted , inquired who lived in this old castle , and was told that several captive princesses were kept there by a spell , and spun all XXXXX to lay up money to buy their liberty .
Brooke Jo Kate Laurie Meg Rig-marole colt day point years