“Hanged if I do! I’m not going to be lectured and pummelled by everyone, just for a bit of a frolic. I was sorry about Meg, and begged pardon like a man; but I won’t do it again, when I wasn’t in the wrong.”

“He didn’t know that.”

“He ought to trust me, and not act as if I was a baby. It’s no use, Jo; he’s got to learn that I’m able to take care of myself, and don’t need anyone’s apron-string to hold on by.”

“What pepper-pots you are!” sighed Jo. “How do you mean to settle this affair?”

“Well, he ought to beg pardon, and believe me when I say I can’t tell him what the fuss’s about.”

“Bless you! he won’t do that.”

“I won’t go down till he does.”