"We all need these little helps; so you shall try to do your lessons and your work, play kindly with all the boys, and use your holidays well;and if you bring me a good report, or if I see and know it without words­for I'm quick to spy out the good little efforts of my boys­you shall have a compartment in the drawer for your treasures. See, some are already divided into four parts, and I will have the others made in the same way, a place for each week; and when the drawer is filled with curious and pretty things, I shall be as proud of it as you are; prouder, I think­for in the pebbles, mosses, and gay butterflies, I shall see good resolutions carried out, conquered faults, and a promise well kept. Shall we do this, Dan?"The boys answered with one of the looks which said much, for it showed that he felt and understood her wish and words, although he did not know how to express his interest and gratitude for such care and kindness. She understood the look, and seeing by the color that flushed up to his forehead that he was touched, as she wished him to be, she said no more about that side of the new plan, but pulled out the upper drawer, dusted it, and set it on two chairs before the sofa, saying briskly,­"Now, let us begin at once by putting those nice beetles in a safe place.
These compartments will hold a good deal, you see. I'd pin the butterflies and bugs round the sides; they will be quite safe there, and leave room for the heavy things below. I'll give you some cotton wool, and clean paper and pins, and you can get ready for the week's work.""But I can't go out to find any new things," said Dan, looking piteously at his foot.
"That's true; never mind, we'll let these treasures do for this week, and I dare say the boys will bring you loads of things if you ask them.""They don't know the right sort; besides, if I lay, no, lie here all the time, I can't work and study, and earn my drawers.""There are plenty of lessons you can learn lying there, and several little jobs of work you can do for me.""Can I?" and Dan looked both surprised and pleased.
"You can learn to be patient and cheerful in spite of pain and no play.
You can amuse Teddy for me, wind cotton, read to me when I sew, and do many things without hurting your foot, which will make the days pass quickly, and not be wasted ones."Here Demi ran in with a great butterfly in one hand, and a very ugly little toad in the other.
"See, Dan, I found them, and ran back to give them to you; aren't they beautiful ones?" panted Demi, all out of breath.
Dan laughed at the toad, and said he had no place to put him, but the butterfly was a beauty, and if Mrs. Jo would give him a big pin, he would stick it right up in the drawer.
"I don't like to see the poor thing struggle on a pin; if it must be killed, let us put it out of pain at once with a drop of camphor," said Mrs. Jo, getting out the bottle.
"I know how to do it­Mr. Hyde always killed 'em that way­but I didn't have any camphor, so I use a pin," and Dan gently poured a drop on the insect's head, when the pale green wings fluttered an instant, and then grew still.
