He had the start , however , and escaped safely into his study , leaving the boys to go rioting back again . They were so stirred up by the race that they could not settle to their former quiet , and a lively game of Blindman 's Buff followed , in which Tommy showed that he had taken the moral of the last story to heart , for , when he caught Nan , he whispered in her ear , `` I 'm sorry I called you a cross-patch . '' Nan was not to be outdone in kindness , so , when they played `` Button , button , who 's got the button ? '' and it was her turn to go round , she said , `` Hold fast all I give you , '' with such a friendly smile at Tommy , that he was not surprised to find the horse-hair ring in his hand instead of the button . He only smiled back at her then , but when they were going to bed , he offered Nan the best bite of his last apple ; she saw the ring on his stumpy little finger , accepted the bite , and peace was declared . Both were ashamed of the temporary coldness , neither was ashamed to say , `` I was wrong , forgive me , '' so the childish friendship remained unbroken , and the home in the willow lasted long , a pleasant little castle in the air . CHAPTER XXI . THANKSGIVING This yearly festival was always kept at Plumfield in the good old-fashioned way , and nothing was allowed to interfere with it . For days beforehand , the little girls helped Asia and Mrs. Jo in store-room and kitchen , making pies and puddings , sorting fruit , dusting dishes , and being very busy and immensely important . The boys hovered on the outskirts of the forbidden ground , sniffing the savory odors , peeping in at the mysterious performances , and occasionally being permitted to taste some delicacy in the process of preparation . Something more than usual seemed to be on foot this year , for the girls were as busy up-stairs as down , so were the boys in school-room and barn , and a general air of bustle pervaded the house . There was a great hunting up of old ribbons and finery , much cutting and pasting of gold paper , and the most remarkable quantity of straw , gray cotton , flannel , and big black beads , used by Franz and Mrs. Jo . Ned hammered at strange machines in the workshop , Demi and Tommy went about murmuring to themselves as if learning something . A fearful racket was heard in Emil 's room at intervals , and peals of laughter from the nursery when Rob and Teddy were sent for and hidden from sight whole hours at a time . But the thing that puzzled Mr. Bhaer the most was what became of Rob 's big pumpkin . It had been borne in triumph to the kitchen , where a dozen golden-tinted pies soon after appeared . It would not have taken more than a quarter of the mammoth vegetable to make them , yet where was the rest ? It disappeared , and Rob never seemed to care , only chuckled when it was mentioned , and told his father , `` To wait and see , '' for the fun of the whole thing was to surprise Father Bhaer at the end , and not let him know a bit about what was to happen . He obediently shut eyes , ears , and mouth , and went about trying not to see what was in plain sight , not to hear the tell-tale sounds that filled the air , not to understand any of the perfectly transparent mysteries going on all about him . Being a German , he loved these simple domestic festivals , and encouraged them with all his heart , for they made home so pleasant that the boys did not care to go elsewhere for fun .
When at last the day came , the boys XXXXX off for a long walk , that they might have good appetites for dinner ; as if they ever needed them !
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