s you love to hear about."

"How did they be brave then?" Jim demanded.

"They were brave because they endured very, very hard things and never
whimpered."

"What's whimpered?"

"To whimper is to cry or complain--or be sorry for yourself."

Jim studied over that; then coming close to Laura, he looked straight
into her eyes. "You mean that I mustn't talk about that?" He touched his
lame leg.

"It would be better not, if you can help it," she said very gently.

"I got to help it then, 'cause, of course, I've got to be brave. And
mebbe if I get strong as--as anything, they'll let me join the Scouts
when I'm twelve even--even if I ain't quite such a good walker as the
rest of 'em. Don't you think they _might_, Miss Laura?"

"Yes, Jim, I think they might," she agreed hastily. Who could say "No"
to such pleading eyes?

Jim had been teasing to go to school, and when at the next Camp Fire
meeting, Lena Barton told him that Jo had been sent to an outdoor
school, Jim wanted to go there too.

"Take him to the doctor and see what he thinks about it," the judge
advised, and to Jim's delight the doctor said that it was just the place
for him.

"Let him sleep out of doors too for a year," the doctor added. "It will
do him a world of good."

So the next day Miss Laura went with him to the school, Jim limping
gaily along at her side, and chuckling to himself as he thought how
"s'prised" Jo would be to see him there.

Jo undoubtedly was surprised. He was a thin little chap, freckled and
red-haired like his sister, and he welcomed his old comrade with a wide
friendly grin.

Jim thought it a very queer-looking school, with teacher and pupils all
wearing warm coats, mittens, and hoods or caps, and all with their feet
hidden in big woolen bags. There was no fire, of course, and all the
windows were wide open.

"But what a happy-looking crowd it is!" Laura said, and the teacher
answered,

"They are the happiest children I ever taught, and they learn so easily!
They get on much faster than most of the children in other schools of
the same grade. We give them luncheon here--plain nourishing things
which the doctor orders--and," she lowered her voice, "that means a deal
to some who come from poor homes where there is not too much to eat."

"We shall gladly pay for Jim," Laura said quickly, "enough for him and
some of the others too."

So Jim's outdoor life began. There was a covered porch adjoining the
old nursery, and t