Little Men: Life at Plumfield With Jo's Boys
reproachful look, as she knelt down to look at his wounded foot.
The color came up into Dan's face, and he kept his eyes fixed on his
plate, as he said very low, “No, ma'am, I'm glad, I wanted to stay, but
I was afraid you—”
He did not finish, for Mrs. Bhaer interrupted him by an exclamation of
pity, as she saw his foot, for it was seriously hurt.
“When did you do it?”
“Three days ago.”
“And you have walked on it in this state?”
“I had a stick, and I washed it at every brook I came to, and one woman
gave me a rag to put on it.”
“Mr. Bhaer must see and dress it at once,” and Mrs. Jo hastened into the
next room, leaving the door ajar behind her, so that Dan heard all that
passed.
“Fritz, the boy has come back.”
“Who? Dan?”
“Yes, Teddy saw him at the window, and he called to him, but he went
away and hid behind the hay-cocks on the lawn. I found him there just
now fast asleep, and half dead with weariness and pain. He ran away
from Page a month ago, and has been making his way to us ever since. He
pretends that he did not mean to let us see him, but go on to the city,
and his old work, after a look at us. It is evident, however, that the
hope of being taken in has led him here through every thing, and there
he is waiting to know if you will forgive and take him back.”
“Did he say so?”
“His eyes did, and when I waked him, he said, like a lost child, 'Mother
Bhaer, I've come home.' I hadn't the heart to scold him, and just took
him in like a poor little black sheep come back to the fold. I may keep
him, Fritz?”
“Of course you may! This proves to me that we have a hold on the boy's
heart, and I would no more send him away now than I would my own Rob.”
Dan heard a soft little sound, as if Mrs. Jo thanked her husband without
words, and, in the instant's silence that followed, two great tears that
had slowly gathered in the boy's eyes brimmed over and rolled down his
dusty cheeks. No one saw them, for he brushed them hastily away; but
in that little pause I think Dan's old distrust for these good people
vanished for ever, the soft spot in his heart was touched, and he felt
an impetuous desire to prove himself worthy of the love and pity that
was so patient and forgiving. He said nothing, he only wished the wish
with all his might, resolved to try in his blind boyish way, and
sealed his resolution with the tears which neither pain, fatigue, nor
loneliness could wring from him.
“Come and see his foot. I am afraid it is badly hurt, for he has kept
on three days through heat and dust, with nothing but water and an old
jacket to bind it up with. I tell you, Fritz, that boy is a brave lad,
and will make a fine man yet.”
“I hope so, for your sake, enthusiastic woman, your faith deserves
success. Now, I will go and see your little Spartan. Where is he?”
“In my room; but, dear, you'll be very kind to him, no matter how
gruff he seems. I am sure that is the way to conquer him. He won't bear
sternness nor much restraint, but a soft word and infinite patience will
lead him as it used to lead me.”
“As if you ever were like this little rascal!” cried Mr. Bhaer,
laughing, yet half angry at the idea.
“I was in spirit, though I showed it in a different way. I seem to know
by instinct how he feels, to understand what will win and touch him, and
to sympathize with his temptations and faults. I am glad I do, for it
will help me to help him; and if I can make a good man of this wild boy,
it will be the best work of my life.”
“God bless the work, and help the worker!”
Mr. Bhaer spoke now as earnestly as she had done, and both came in
together to find Dan's head down upon his arm, as if he was quite
overcome by sleep. But he looked up quickly, and tried to rise as Mr.
Bhaer said pleasantly,
“So you like Plumfield better than Page's farm. Well, let us see if we
can get on more comfortably this time than we did before.”
“Thanky, sir,” said Dan, trying not to be gruff, and finding it easier
than he expected.
“Now, the foot! Ach! this is not well. We must have Dr. Firth to-morrow.
Warm water, Jo, and old linen.”
Mr. Bhaer bathed and bound up the wounded foot, while Mrs. Jo prepared
the only empty bed in the house. It was in the little guest-chamber
leading from the parlor, and often used when the lads were poorly, for
it saved Mrs. Jo from running up and down, and the invalids could see
what was going on. When it was ready, Mr. Bhaer took the boy in his
arms, and carried him in, helped him undress, laid him on the little
white bed, and left him with another hand-shake, and a fatherly
“Good-night, my son.”
Dan dropped asleep at once, and slept heavily for several hours; then
his foot began to throb and ache, and he awoke to toss about uneasily,
trying not to groan lest any one should hear him, for he was a brave
lad, and did bear pain like “a little Spartan,” as Mr. Bhaer called him.
Mrs. Jo had a way of flitting about the house at night, to shut the
windows if the wind grew chilly, to draw mosquito curtains over Teddy,
or look after Tommy, who occasionally walked in his sleep. The least
noise waked her, and as she often heard imaginary robbers, cats, and
conflagrations, the doors stood open all about, so her quick ear caught
the sound of Dan's little moans, and she was up in a minute. He was just
giving his hot pillow a despairing thump when a light came glimmering
through the hall, and Mrs. Jo crept in, looking like a droll ghost,
with her hair in a great knob on the top of her head, and a long gray
dressing-gown trailing behind her.
“Are you in pain, Dan?”
“It's pretty bad; but I didn't mean to wake you.”
“I'm a sort of owl, always flying about at night. Yes, your foot is like
fire; the bandages must be wet again,” and away flapped the maternal owl
for more cooling stuff, and a great mug of ice water.
“Oh, that's so nice!” sighed Dan, the wet bandages went on again, and a
long draught of water cooled his thirsty throat.
“There, now, sleep your best, and don't be frightened if you see me
again, for I'll slip down by and by, and give you another sprinkle.”
As she spoke, Mrs. Jo stooped to turn the pillow and smooth the
bed-clothes, when, to her great surprise, Dan put his arm around her
neck, drew her face down to his, and kissed her, with a broken “Thank
you, ma'am,” which said more than the most eloquent speech could have
done; for the hasty kiss, the muttered words, meant, “I'm sorry, I will
try.” She understood it, accepted the unspoken confession, and did not
spoil it by any token of surprise. She only remembered that he had no
mother, kissed the brown cheek half hidden on the pillow, as if ashamed
of the little touch of tenderness, and left him, saying, what he long
remembered, “You are my boy now, and if you choose you can make me proud
and glad to say so.”
Once again, just at dawn, she stole down to find him so fast asleep
that he did not wake, and showed no sign of consciousness as she wet his
foot, except that the lines of pain smoothed themselves away, and left
his face quite peaceful.
The day was Sunday, and the house so still that he never waked till near
noon, and, looking round him, saw an eager little face peering in at
the door. He held out his arms, and Teddy tore across the room to cast
himself bodily upon the bed, shouting, “My Danny's tum!” as he hugged
and wriggled with delight. Mrs. Bhaer appeared next, bringing breakfast,
and never seeming to see how shamefaced Dan looked at the memory of the
little scene last night. Teddy insisted on giving him his “betfus,” and
fed him like a baby, which, as he was not very hungry, Dan enjoyed very
much.
Then came the doctor, and the poor Spartan had a bad time of it, for
some of the little bones in his foot were injured, and putting them to
rights was such a painful job, that Dan's lips were white, and great
drops stood on his forehead, though he never cried out, and only held
Mrs. Jo's hand so tight that it was red long afterwards.
“You must keep this boy quiet, for a week at least, and not let him put
his foot to the ground. By that time, I shall know whether he may hop a
little with a crutch, or stick to his bed for a while longer,” said Dr.
Firth, putting up the shining instruments that Dan did not like to see.
“It will get well sometime, won't it?” he asked, looking alarmed at the
word “crutches.”
“I hope so;” and with that the doctor departed, leaving Dan much
depressed; for the loss of a foot is a dreadful calamity to an active
boy.
“Don't be troubled, I am a famous nurse, and we will have you tramping
about as well as ever in a month,” said Mrs. Jo, taking a hopeful view
of the case.
But the fear of being lame haunted Dan, and even Teddy's caresses did
not cheer him; so Mrs. Jo proposed that one or two of the boys should
come in and pay him a little visit, and asked whom he would like to see.
“Nat and Demi; I'd like my hat too, there's something in it I guess
they'd like to see. I suppose you threw away my bundle of plunder?” said
Dan, looking rather anxious as he put the question.
“No, I kept it, for I thought they must be treasures of some kind, you
took such care of them;” and Mrs. Jo brought him his old straw hat
stuck full of butterflies and beetles, and a handkerchief containing a
collection of odd things picked up on his way: birds' eggs, carefully
done up in moss, curious shells and stones, bits of fungus, and several
little crabs, in a state of great indignation at their imprisonment.
“Could I have something to put these fellers in? Mr. Hyde and I found
'em, and they are first-rate ones, so I'd like to keep and watch 'em;
can I?” asked Dan, forgetting his foot, and laughing to see the crabs go
sidling and backing over the bed.
“Of course you can; Polly's old cage will be just the thing. Don't let
them nip Teddy's toes while I get it;” and away went Mrs. Jo, leaving
Dan overjoyed to find that his treasures were not considered rubbish,
and thrown away.
Nat, Demi, and the cage arrived together, and the crabs were settled
in their new house, to the great delight of the boys, who, in the
excitement of the performance, forgot any awkwardness they might
otherwise have felt in greeting the runaway. To these admiring listeners
Dan related his adventures much more fully than he had done to the
Bhaers. Then he displayed his “plunder,” and described each article so
well, that Mrs. Jo, who had retired to the next room to leave them
free, was surprised and interested, as well as amused, at their boyish
chatter.
“How much the lad knows of these things! how absorbed he is in them! and
what a mercy it is just now, for he cares so little for books, it would
be hard to amuse him while he is laid up; but the boys can supply him
with beetles and stones to any extent, and I am glad to find out this
taste of his; it is a good one, and may perhaps prove the making of him.
If he should turn out a great naturalist, and Nat a musician, I should
have cause to be proud of this year's work;” and Mrs. Jo sat smiling
over her book as she built castles in the air, just as she used to do
when a girl, only then they were for herself, and now they were for
other people, which is the reason perhaps that some of them came to
pass in reality for charity is an excellent foundation to build anything
upon.
Nat was most interested in the adventures, but Demi enjoyed the beetles
and butterflies immensely, drinking in the history of their changeful
little lives as if it were a new and lovely sort of fairy tale for, even
in his plain way, Dan told it well, and found great satisfaction in the
thought that here at least the small philosopher could learn of him. So
interested were they in the account of catching a musk rat, whose skin