first. Now come up to Nursey and have a bath, and then go to bed,
and to-morrow we will lay some nice little plans together."

Nat held her hand fast in his, but had not a word to say, and let his
grateful eyes speak for him, as Mrs. Bhaer led him up to a big
room, where they found a stout German woman with a face so
round and cheery that it looked like a sort of sun, with the wide
frill of her cap for rays.

"This is Nursey Hummel, and she will give you a nice bath, and
cut your hair, and make you all 'comfy,' as Rob says. That's the
bath-room in there; and on Saturday nights we scrub all the little
lads first, and pack them away in bed before the big ones get
through singing. Now then, Rob, in with you."

As she talked, Mrs. Bhaer had whipped off Rob's clothes and
popped him into a long bath-tub in the little room opening into the
nursery.

There were two tubs, besides foot-baths, basins, douche-pipes, and
all manner of contrivances for cleanliness. Nat was soon
luxuriating in the other bath; and while simmering there, he
watched the performances of the two women, who scrubbed, clean
night-gowned, and bundled into bed four or five small boys, who,
of course, cut up all sorts of capers during the operation, and kept
every one in a gale of merriment till they were extinguished in
their beds.

By the time Nat was washed and done up in a blanket by the fire,
while Nursey cut his hair, a new detachment of boys arrived and