“I keep turning over new leaves, and spoiling them, as I used to spoil my copybooks; and I make so many beginnings there never will be an end,” he said dolefully.

“Go and eat your dinner; you’ll feel better after it. Men always croak when they are hungry,” and Jo whisked out at the front door after that.

“That’s a ‘label’ on my ‘sect,’ ” answered Laurie, quoting Amy, as he went to partake of humble-pie dutifully with his grandfather, who was quite saintly in temper and overwhelmingly respectful in manner all the rest of the day.