s in
the path." She might have said donkeys; but she was in earnest, and she
spared my feelings. Very nice of the dear girl; but there I am with two
sweethearts on my hands, and in a deuce of a scrape.'

Finding it impossible to contain herself another moment, Mrs Jo laughed
till the tears ran down her cheeks at this characteristic episode; and
after one reproachful look, which only added to her merriment, Tom burst
into a jolly roar that made the room ring.

'Tommy Bangs! Tommy Bangs! who but you could ever get into such a
catastrophe?' said Mrs Jo, when she recovered her breath.

'Isn't it a muddle all round, and won't everyone chaff me to death about
it? I shall have to quit old Plum for a while,' answered Tom, as he
mopped his face, trying to realize the full danger of his position.

'No, indeed; I'll stand by you, for I think it the best joke of the
season. But tell me how things ended. Is it really serious, or only a
summer flirtation? I don't approve of them, but boys and girls will play
with edged tools and cut their fingers.'

'Well, Dora considers herself engaged, and wrote to her people at once.
I couldn't say a word when she took it all in solemn earnest and seemed
so happy. She's only seventeen, never liked anyone before, and is sure
all will be all right; as her father knows mine, and we are both well
off. I was so staggered that I said:

'"Why, you can't love me really when we know so little of one another?"
But she answered right out of her tender little heart: "Yes, I do,
dearly, Tom; you are so gay and kind and honest, I couldn't help it."
Now, after that what could I do but go ahead and make her happy while I
stayed, and trust to luck to straighten the snarl out afterwards?'

'A truly Tomian way of taking things easy. I hope you told your father
at once.'

'Oh yes, I wrote off and broke it to him in three lines. I said: "Dear
Father, I'm engaged to Dora West, and I hope she will suit the family.
She suits me tip-top. Yours ever, Tom." He was all right, never liked
Nan, you know; but Dora will suit him down to the ground.' And Tom
looked entirely satisfied with his own tact and taste.

'What did Demi say to this rapid and funny lovemaking? Wasn't he
scandalized?' asked Mrs Jo, trying not to laugh again as she thought of
the unromantic spectacle of donkey, bicycle, boy, and girl all in the
dust together.

'Not a bit. He was immensely interested and very kind; talked to me like
a father; said