I wanted to amuse him one night when you were all away , and he was rather dismal . He did like it , so do n't scold , Jo , '' said Beth meekly . `` You ca n't keep a secret . Never mind , it saves trouble now . '' `` Go on , please , '' said Laurie , as Jo became absorbed in her work , looking a trifle displeased . `` Oh , did n't she tell you about this new plan of ours ? Well , we have tried not to waste our holiday , but each has had a task and worked at it with a will . The vacation is nearly over , the stints are all done , and we are ever so glad that we did n't dawdle . '' `` Yes , I should think so , '' and Laurie thought regretfully of his own idle days . `` Mother likes to have us out-of-doors as much as possible , so we bring our work here and have nice times . For the fun of it we bring our things in these bags , wear the old hats , use poles to climb the hill , and play pilgrims , as we used to do years ago . We call this hill the Delectable Mountain , for we can look far away and see the country where we hope to live some time . '' Jo pointed , and Laurie sat up to examine , for through an opening in the wood one could look cross the wide , blue river , the meadows on the other side , far over the outskirts of the great city , to the green hills that rose to meet the sky . The sun was low , and the heavens glowed with the splendor of an autumn sunset . Gold and purple clouds lay on the hilltops , and rising high into the ruddy light were silvery white peaks that shone like the airy spires of some Celestial City . `` How beautiful that is ! '' said Laurie softly , for he was quick to see and feel beauty of any kind . `` It 's often so , and we like to watch it , for it is never the same , but always splendid , '' replied Amy , wishing she could paint it . `` Jo talks about the country where we hope to live sometime -- the real country , she means , with pigs and chickens and haymaking . It would be nice , but I wish the beautiful country up there was real , and we could ever go to it , '' said Beth musingly .
`` There is a lovelier XXXXX even than that , where we shall go , by-and-by , when we are good enough , '' answered Meg with her sweetest voice .
bags chickens clouds country fun out-of-doors peaks river task years