CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

LAURIE MAKES MISCHIEF, AND JO MAKES PEACE

Jo's face was a study next day, for the secret rather weighed upon her, and she found it hard not to look mysterious and important. Meg observed it, but did not trouble herself to make inquiries, for she had learned that the best way to manage Jo was by the law of contraries, so she felt sure of being told everything if she did not ask. She was rather surprised, therefore, when the silence remained unbroken, and Jo assumed a patronizing air, which decidedly aggravated Meg, who in turn assumed an air of dignified reserve and devoted herself to her mother. This left Jo to her own devices, for Mrs. March had taken her place as nurse, and bade her rest, exercise, and amuse herself after her long confinement. Amy being gone, Laurie was her only refuge, and much as she enjoyed his society, she rather dreaded him just then, for he was an incorrigible tease, and she feared he would coax the secret from her.

She was quite right, for the mischief-loving lad no sooner suspected a mystery than he set himself to find it out, and led Jo a trying life of it. He wheedled, bribed, ridiculed, threatened, and scolded; affected indifference, that he might surprise the truth from her; declared he knew, then that he didn't care; and at last, by dint of perseverance, he satisfied himself that it concerned Meg and Mr. Brooke. Feeling indignant that he was not taken into his tutor's confidence, he set his wits to work to devise some proper retaliation for the slight.

1. Who was a troublemaker?
2. Who was afraid that he'd find out something from her?
3. What were some of his methods for doing so?
4. What did Meg devote herself to?
5. What effect did this have on Jo?
6. Did she feel at ease keeping a secret?
7. What did she have trouble doing because of it?
8. Did someone notice this?
9. Did she ask her about it?
10. Why not?
11. Did her plan to get the secret out of Jo work?
12. Who replaced Jo as nurse?
13. What did Laurie start planning to do?

Provide a numbered list of answers.
1. Laurie
2. Jo
3. He wheedled, bribed, ridiculed, threatened, and scolded.
4. Her mother
5. It left her to her own devices
6. No
7. she found it hard not to look mysterious and important
8. Meg
9. no
10. she had learned that the best way to manage Jo was by the law of contraries
11. no
12. Mrs. March
13. he set his wits to work to devise some proper retaliation for the slight