t nippers the old thing has got! I see now why it hurts so
confoundedly when you grab a dorbug and he grabs back again."

"He winked at me," cried Nan, who had poked her head under Jack's elbow
and got the second peep.

Every one took a look, and then Dan showed them the lovely plumage on a
moth's wing, the four feathery corners to a hair, the veins on a leaf,
hardly visible to the naked eye, but like a thick net through the
wonderful little glass; the skin on their own fingers, looking like
queer hills and valleys; a cobweb like a bit of coarse sewing silk, and
the sting of a bee.

"It's like the fairy spectacles in my story-book, only more curious,"
said Demi, enchanted with the wonders he saw.

"Dan is a magician now, and he can show you many miracles going on all
round you; for he has two things needful patience and a love of nature.
We live in a beautiful and wonderful world, Demi, and the more you know
about it the wiser and the better you will be. This little glass will
give you a new set of teachers, and you may learn fine lessons from them
if you will," said Mr. Bhaer, glad to see how interested the boys were
in the matter.

"Could I see anybody's soul with this microscope if I looked hard?"
asked Demi, who was much impressed with the power of the bit of glass.

"No, dear; it's not powerful enough for that, and never can be made so.
You must wait a long while before your eyes are clear enough to see the
most invisible of God's wonders. But looking at the lovely things you
can see will help you to understand the lovelier things you can not
see," answered Uncle Fritz, with his hand on the boy's head.

"Well, Daisy and I both think that if there are any angels, their wings
look like that butterfly's as we see it through the glass, only more
soft and gold."

"Believe it if you like, and keep your own little wings as bright and
beautiful, only don't fly away for a long time yet."

"No, I won't," and Demi kept his word.

"Good-by, my boys; I must go now, but I leave you with our new Professor
of Natural History;" and Mrs. Jo went away well pleased with that
composition day.

CHAPTER XVIII. CROPS

The gardens did well that summer, and in September the little crops were
gathered in with much rejoicing. Jack and Ned joined their farms and
raised potatoes, those being a good salable article. They got twelve
bushels, counting little ones and all, and sold them to Mr. Bhaer at a
fair price, for potatoes