I like to have you tell me my faults and be sisterly , so do n't mind if I am grumpy sometimes . I thank you all the same . '' Bent on showing that he was not offended , he made himself as agreeable as possible , wound cotton for Meg , recited poetry to please Jo , shook down cones for Beth , and helped Amy with her ferns , proving himself a fit person to belong to the ` Busy Bee Society ' . In the midst of an animated discussion on the domestic habits of turtles -LRB- one of those amiable creatures having strolled up from the river -RRB- , the faint sound of a bell warned them that Hannah had put the tea ` to draw ' , and they would just have time to get home to supper . `` May I come again ? '' asked Laurie . `` Yes , if you are good , and love your book , as the boys in the primer are told to do , '' said Meg , smiling . `` I 'll try . '' `` Then you may come , and I 'll teach you to knit as the Scotchmen do . There 's a demand for socks just now , '' added Jo , waving hers like a big blue worsted banner as they parted at the gate . That night , when Beth played to Mr. Laurence in the twilight , Laurie , standing in the shadow of the curtain , listened to the little David , whose simple music always quieted his moody spirit , and watched the old man , who sat with his gray head on his hand , thinking tender thoughts of the dead child he had loved so much . Remembering the conversation of the afternoon , the boy said to himself , with the resolve to make the sacrifice cheerfully , `` I 'll let my castle go , and stay with the dear old gentleman while he needs me , for I am all he has . '' CHAPTER FOURTEEN SECRETS Jo was very busy in the garret , for the October days began to grow chilly , and the afternoons were short . For two or three hours the sun lay warmly in the high window , showing Jo seated on the old sofa , writing busily , with her papers spread out upon a trunk before her , while Scrabble , the pet rat , promenaded the beams overhead , accompanied by his oldest son , a fine young fellow , who was evidently very proud of his whiskers . Quite absorbed in her work , Jo scribbled away till the last page was filled , when she signed her name with a flourish and threw down her pen , exclaiming ... `` There , I 've done my best ! If this wo n't suit I shall have to wait till I can do better . '' Lying back on the sofa , she read the manuscript carefully through , making dashes here and there , and putting in many exclamation points , which looked like little balloons . Then she tied it up with a smart red ribbon , and sat a minute looking at it with a sober , wistful expression , which plainly showed how earnest her work had been . Jo 's desk up here was an old tin kitchen which hung against the wall . In it she kept her papers , and a few books , safely shut away from Scrabble , who , being likewise of a literary turn , was fond of making a circulating library of such books as were left in his way by eating the leaves .
From this tin receptacle XXXXX produced another manuscript , and putting both in her pocket , crept quietly downstairs , leaving her friends to nibble on her pens and taste her ink .
Amy Jo Laurence Laurie Scrabble Society garret night primer twilight