"You must keep this boy quiet, for a week at least, and not let him puthis foot to the ground. By that time, I shall know whether he may hop alittle 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 theword "crutches."
"I hope so;" and with that the doctor departed, leaving Dan muchdepressed; for the loss of a foot is a dreadful calamity to an activeboy.
"Don't be troubled, I am a famous nurse, and we will have you trampingabout as well as ever in a month," said Mrs. Jo, taking a hopeful viewof the case.
But the fear of being lame haunted Dan, and even Teddy's caresses didnot cheer him; so Mrs. Jo proposed that one or two of the boys shouldcome 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 guessthey'd like to see. I suppose you threw away my bundle of plunder?" saidDan, looking rather anxious as he put the question.
"No, I kept it, for I thought they must be treasures of some kind, youtook such care of them;" and Mrs. Jo brought him his old straw hatstuck full of butterflies and beetles, and a handkerchief containing acollection of odd things picked up on his way: birds' eggs, carefullydone up in moss, curious shells and stones, bits of fungus, and severallittle 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 gosidling and backing over the bed.
"Of course you can; Polly's old cage will be just the thing. Don't letthem nip Teddy's toes while I get it;" and away went Mrs. Jo, leavingDan overjoyed to find that his treasures were not considered rubbish,and thrown away.
Nat, Demi, and the cage arrived together, and the crabs were settledin their new house, to the great delight of the boys, who, in theexcitement of the performance, forgot any awkwardness they mightotherwise have felt in greeting the runaway. To these admiring
listenersDan related his adventures much more fully than he had done to theBhaers. Then he displayed his "plunder," and described each article sowell, that Mrs. Jo, who had retired to the next room to leave themfree, was surprised and interested, as well as amused, at their boyishchatter.
"How much the lad knows of these things! how absorbed he is in them! andwhat a mercy it is just now, for he cares so little for books, it wouldbe hard to amuse him while he is laid up; but the boys can supply himwith beetles and stones to any extent, and I am glad to find out thistaste 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 shouldhave cause to be proud of this year's work;" and Mrs. Jo sat smilingover her book as she built castles in the air, just as she used to dowhen a girl, only then they were for herself, and now they were forother people, which is the reason perhaps that some of them came topass in reality for charity is an excellent foundation to build anythingupon.
Nat was most interested in the adventures, but Demi enjoyed the beetlesand butterflies immensely, drinking in the history of their changefullittle lives as if it were a new and lovely sort of fairy tale for, evenin his plain way, Dan told it well, and found great satisfaction in thethought that here at least the small philosopher could learn of him. Sointerested were they in the account of catching a musk rat, whose skinwas among the treasures, that Mr. Bhaer had to come himself to tell Natand Demi it was time for the walk. Dan looked so wistfully after them asthey ran off that Father Bhaer proposed carrying him to the sofa in theparlor for a little change of air and scene.
When he was established, and the house quiet, Mrs. Jo, who sat nearby showing Teddy pictures, said, in an interested tone, as she noddedtowards the treasures still in Dan's hands,
"Where did you learn so much about these things?"
"I always liked 'em, but didn't know much till Mr. Hyde told me."
"Oh, he was a man who lived round in the woods studying these things Idon't know what you call him and wrote about frogs, and fishes, and soon. He stayed at Page's, and used to want me to go and help him, and itwas great fun, 'cause he told me ever so much, and was uncommon jollyand wise. Hope I'll see him again sometime."
"I hope you will," said Mrs. Jo, for Dan's face had brightened up, andhe was so interested in the matter that he forgot his usual taciturnity.
"Why, he could make birds come to him, and rabbits and squirrels didn'tmind him any more than if he was a tree. Did you ever tickle a lizardwith a straw?" asked Dan, eagerly.
"No, but I should like to try it."
"Well, I've done it, and it's so funny to see 'em turn over and stretchout, they like it so much. Mr. Hyde used to do it; and he'd make snakeslisten to him while he whistled, and he knew just when certain flowerswould blow, and bees wouldn't sting him, and he'd tell the wonderfullestthings about fish and flies, and the Indians and the rocks."
"I think you were so fond of going with Mr. Hyde, you rather neglectedMr. Page," said Mrs. Jo, slyly.
"Yes, I did; I hated to have to weed and hoe when I might be trampinground with Mr. Hyde. Page thought such things silly, and called Mr. Hydecrazy because he'd lay hours watching a trout or a bird."
"Suppose you say lie instead of lay, it is better grammar," said Mrs.Jo, very gently; and then added, "Yes, Page is a thorough farmer, andwould not understand that a naturalist's work was just as interesting,and perhaps just as important as his own. Now, Dan, if you really lovethese things, as I think you do, and I am glad to see it, you shall havetime to study them and books to help you; but I want you to do somethingbesides, and to do it faithfully, else you will be sorry by and by, andfind that you have got to begin again."
"Yes, ma'am," said Dan, meekly, and looked a little scared by theserious tone of the last remarks, for he hated books, yet had evidentlymade up his mind to study anything she proposed.
"Do you see that cabinet with twelve drawers in it?" was the next veryunexpected question.
Dan did see two tall old-fashioned ones standing on either side of thepiano; he knew them well, and had often seen nice bits of string, nails,brown paper, and such useful matters come out of the various drawers. Henodded and smiled. Mrs. Jo went on,
"Well, don't you think those drawers would be good places to put youreggs, and stones, and shells, and lichens?"
"Oh, splendid, but you wouldn't like my things 'clutterin' round,' asMr. Page used to say, would you?" cried Dan, sitting up to survey theold piece of furniture with sparkling eyes.
"I like litter of that sort; and if I didn't, I should give you thedrawers, because I have a regard for children's little treasures, andI think they should be treated respectfully. Now, I am going to make abargain with you, Dan, and I hope you will keep it honorably. Here aretwelve good-sized drawers, one for each month of the year, and theyshall be yours as fast as you earn them, by doing the little duties thatbelong to you. I believe in rewards of a certain kind, especially foryoung folks; they help us along, and though we may begin by being goodfor the sake of the reward, if it is rightly used, we shall soon learnto love goodness for itself."
"Do you have 'em?" asked Dan, looking as if this was new talk for him.
"Yes, indeed! I haven't learnt to get on without them yet. My rewardsare not drawers, or presents, or holidays, but they are things which Ilike as much as you do the others. The good behavior and success of myboys is one of the rewards I love best, and I work for it as I want youto work for your cabinet. Do what you dislike, and do it well, andyou get two rewards, one, the prize you see and hold; the other, thesatisfaction of a duty cheerfully performed. Do you understand that?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"We all need these little helps; so you shall try to do your lessons andyour work, play kindly with all the boys, and use your holidays well;and if you bring me a good report, or if I see and know it without wordsfor I'm quick to spy out the good little efforts of my boys you shallhave a compartment in the drawer for your treasures. See, some arealready divided into four parts, and I will have the others made inthe same way, a place for each week; and when the drawer is filledwith curious and pretty things, I shall be as proud of it as you are;prouder, I think for in the pebbles, mosses, and gay butterflies, Ishall see good resolutions carried out, conquered faults, and a promisewell kept. Shall we do this, Dan?"
The boys answered with one of the looks which said much, for it showedthat he felt and understood her wish and words, although he did not knowhow to express his interest and gratitude for such care and kindness.She understood the look, and seeing by the color that flushed up to hisforehead that he was touched, as she wished him to be, she said no moreabout that side of the new plan, but pulled out the upper drawer, dustedit, and set it on two chairs before the sofa, saying briskly,
"Now, let us begin at once by putting those nice beetles in a safeplace. These compartments will hold a good deal, you see. I'd pin thebutterflies and bugs round the sides; they will be quite safe there, andleave room for the heavy things below. I'll give you some cotton wool,and clean paper and pins, and you can get ready for the week's work."
"But I can't go out to find any new things," said Dan, looking piteouslyat his foot.
"That's true; never mind, we'll let these treasures do for this week,and I dare say the boys will bring you loads of things if you ask them."
"They don't know the right sort; besides, if I lay, no, lie here all thetime, I can't work and study, and earn my drawers."
"There are plenty of lessons you can learn lying there, and severallittle jobs of work you can do for me."
"Can I?" and Dan looked both surprised and pleased.
"You can learn to be patient and cheerful in spite of pain and no play.You can amuse Teddy for me, wind cotton, read to me when I sew, and domany things without hurting your foot, which will make the days passquickly, and not be wasted ones."
Here Demi ran in with a great butterfly in one hand, and a very uglylittle toad in the other.
"See, Dan, I found them, an
d ran back to give them to you; aren't theybeautiful ones?" panted Demi, all out of breath.
Dan laughed at the toad, and said he had no place to put him, but thebutterfly was a beauty, and if Mrs. Jo would give him a big pin, hewould stick it right up in the drawer.
"I don't like to see the poor thing struggle on a pin; if it must bekilled, let us put it out of pain at once with a drop of camphor," saidMrs. Jo, getting out the bottle.
"I know how to do it Mr. Hyde always killed 'em that way but I didn'thave any camphor, so I use a pin," and Dan gently poured a drop on theinsect's head, when the pale green wings fluttered an instant, and thengrew still.
This dainty little execution was hardly over when Teddy shouted from thebedroom, "Oh, the little trabs are out, and the big one's eaten 'emall up." Demi and his aunt ran to the rescue, and found Teddy dancingexcitedly in a chair, while two little crabs were scuttling about thefloor, having got through the wires of the cage. A third was clinging tothe top of the cage, evidently in terror of his life, for below appeareda sad yet funny sight. The big crab had wedged himself into the littlerecess where Polly's cup used to stand, and there he sat eating one ofhis relations in the coolest way. All the claws of the poor victim werepulled off, and he was turned upside down, his upper shell held inone claw close under the mouth of the big crab like a dish, while heleisurely ate out of it with the other claw, pausing now and then toturn his queer bulging eyes from side to side, and to put out a slendertongue and lick them in a way that made the children scream withlaughter. Mrs. Jo carried the cage in for Dan to see the sight, whileDemi caught and confined the wanderers under an inverted wash-bowl.
"I'll have to let these fellers go, for I can't keep 'em in the house,"said Dan, with evident regret.
"I'll take care of them for you, if you will tell me how, and they canlive in my turtle-tank just as well as not," said Demi, who found themmore interesting even that his beloved slow turtles. So Dan gave himdirections about the wants and habits of the crabs, and Demi bore themaway to introduce them to their new home and neighbors. "What a goodboy he is!" said Dan, carefully settling the first butterfly, andremembering that Demi had given up his walk to bring it to him.
"He ought to be, for a great deal has been done to make him so."
"He's had folks to tell him things, and to help him; I haven't," saidDan, with a sigh, thinking of his neglected childhood, a thing he seldomdid, and feeling as if he had not had fair play somehow.
"I know it, dear, and for that reason I don't expect as much from you asfrom Demi, though he is younger; you shall have all the help that we cangive you now, and I hope to teach you how to help yourself in the bestway. Have you forgotten what Father Bhaer told you when you were herebefore, about wanting to be good, and asking God to help you?"
"No, ma'am," very low.
"Do you try that way still?"
"No, ma'am," lower still.
"Will you do it every night to please me?"
"Yes, ma'am," very soberly.
"I shall depend on it, and I think I shall know if you are faithfulto your promise, for these things always show to people who believe inthem, though not a word is said. Now here is a pleasant story about aboy who hurt his foot worse than you did yours; read it, and see howbravely he bore his troubles."
She put that charming little book, "The Crofton Boys," into his hands,and left him for an hour, passing in and out from time to time thathe might not feel lonely. Dan did not love to read, but soon got sointerested that he was surprised when the boys came home. Daisy broughthim a nosegay of wild flowers, and Nan insisted on helping bring him hissupper, as he lay on the sofa with the door open into the dining-room,so that he could see the lads at table, and they could nod socially tohim over their bread and butter.
Mr. Bhaer carried him away to his bed early, and Teddy came in hisnight-gown to say good-night, for he went to his little nest with thebirds.
"I want to say my prayers to Danny; may I?" he asked; and when hismother said, "Yes," the little fellow knelt down by Dan's bed, andfolding his chubby hands, said softly,
"Pease Dod bess everybody, and hep me to be dood."
Then he went away smiling with sleepy sweetness over his mother'sshoulder.
But after the evening talk was done, the evening song sung, and thehouse grew still with beautiful Sunday silence, Dan lay in his pleasantroom wide awake, thinking new thoughts, feeling new hopes and desiresstirring in his boyish heart, for two good angels had entered in: loveand gratitude began the work which time and effort were to finish; andwith an earnest wish to keep his first promise, Dan folded his handstogether in the Darkness, and softly whispered Teddy's little prayer,
"Please God bless every one, and help me to be good."