CHAPTER VI. A FIRE BRAND
"Please, ma'am, could I speak to you? It is something very important,"said Nat, popping his head in at the door of Mrs. Bhaer's room.
It was the fifth head which had popped in during the last half-hour; butMrs. Jo was used to it, so she looked up, and said, briskly,
"What is it, my lad?"
Nat came in, shut the door carefully behind him, and said in an eager,anxious tone,
"Dan has come."
"Who is Dan?"
"He's a boy I used to know when I fiddled round the streets. He soldpapers, and he was kind to me, and I saw him the other day in town, andtold him how nice it was here, and he's come."
"But, my dear boy, that is rather a sudden way to pay a visit."
"Oh, it isn't a visit; he wants to stay if you will let him!" said Natinnocently.
"Well, I don't know about that," began Mrs. Bhaer, rather startled bythe coolness of the proposition.
"Why, I thought you liked to have poor boys come and live with you,and be kind to 'em as you were to me," said Nat, looking surprised andalarmed.
"So I do, but I like to know something about them first. I have tochoose them, because there are so many. I have not room for all. I wishI had."
"I told him to come because I thought you'd like it, but if there isn'troom he can go away again," said Nat, sorrowfully.
The boy's confidence in her hospitality touched Mrs. Bhaer, and shecould not find the heart to disappoint his hope, and spoil his kindlittle plan, so she said,
"Tell me about this Dan."
"I don't know any thing, only he hasn't got any folks, and he's poor,and he was good to me, so I'd like to be good to him if I could."
"Excellent reasons every one; but really, Nat, the house is full, andI don't know where I could put him," said Mrs. Bhaer, more and moreinclined to prove herself the haven of refuge he seemed to think her.
"He could have my bed, and I could sleep in the barn. It isn't coldnow, and I don't mind, I used to sleep anywhere with father," said Nat,eagerly.
Something in his speech and face made Mrs. Jo put her hand on hisshoulder, and say in her kindest tone:
"Bring in your friend, Nat; I think we must find room for him withoutgiving him your place."
Nat joyfully ran off, and soon returned followed by a mostunprepossessing boy, who slouched in and stood looking about him, with ahalf bold, half sullen look, which made Mrs. Bhaer say to herself, afterone glance,
"A bad specimen, I am afraid."
"This is Dan," said Nat, presenting him as if sure of his welcome.
"Nat tells me you would like to come and stay with us," began Mrs. Jo,in a friendly tone.
"Yes," was the gruff reply.
"Have you no friends to take care of you?"
"No."
"Say, 'No, ma'am,'" whispered Nat.
"Shan't neither," muttered Dan.
"How old are you?"
"About fourteen."
"You look older. What can you do?"
"'Most anything."
"If you stay here we shall want you to do as the others do, work andstudy as well as play. Are you willing to agree to that?"
"Don't mind trying."
"Well, you can stay a few days, and we will see how we get on together.Take him out, Nat, and amuse him till Mr. Bhaer comes home, when we willsettle about the matter," said Mrs. Jo, finding it rather difficult toget on with this cool young person, who fixed his big black eyes on herwith a hard, suspicious expression, sorrowfully unboyish.
"Come on, Nat," he said, and slouched out again.
"Thank you, ma'am," added Nat, as he followed him, feeling without quiteunderstanding the difference in the welcome given to him and to hisungracious friend.
"The fellows are having a circus out in the barn; don't you want to comeand see it?" he asked, as they came down the wide steps on to the lawn.
"Are they big fellows?" said Dan.
"No; the big ones are gone fishing."
"Fire away, then," said Dan.
Nat led him to the great barn and introduced him to his set, who weredisporting themselves among the half-empty lofts. A large circle wasmarked out with hay on the wide floor, and in the middle stood Demi witha long whip, while Tommy, mounted on the much-enduring Toby, prancedabout the circle playing being a monkey.
"You must pay a pin apiece, or you can't see the show," said Stuffy,who stood by the wheelbarrow in which sat the band, consisting of apocket-comb blown upon by Ned, and a toy drum beaten spasmodically byRob.
"He's company, so I'll pay for both," said Nat, handsomely, as he stucktwo crooked pins in the dried mushroom which served as money-box.
With a nod to the company they seated themselves on a couple of boards,and the performance went on. After the monkey act, Ned gave them a finespecimen of his agility by jumping over an old chair, and running upand down ladders, sailor fashion. Then Demi danced a jig with a gravitybeautiful to behold. Nat was called upon to wrestle with Stuffy, andspeedily laid that stout youth upon the ground. After this, Tommyproudly advanced to turn a somersault, an accomplishment which he hadacquired by painful perseverance, practising in private till every jointof his little frame was black and blue. His feats were received withgreat applause, and he was about to retire, flushed with pride and arush of blood to the head, when a scornful voice in the audience washeard to say,
"Ho! that ain't any thing!"
"Say that again, will you?" and Tommy bristled up like an angryturkey-cock.
"Do you want to fight?" said Dan, promptly descending from the barreland doubling up his fists in a business-like manner.
"No, I don't;" and the candid Thomas retired a step, rather taken abackby the proposition.
"Fighting isn't allowed!" cried the others, much excited.
"You're a nice lot," sneered Dan.
"Come, if you don't behave, you shan't stay," said Nat, firing up atthat insult to his friends.
"I'd like to see him do better than I did, that's all," observed Tommy,with a swagger.
"Clear the way, then," and without the slightest preparation Dan turnedthree somersaults one after the other and came up on his feet.
"You can't beat that, Tom; you always hit your head and tumble flat,"said Nat, pleased at his friend's success.
Before he could say any more the audience were electrified by three moresomersaults backwards, and a short promenade on the hands, head down,feet up. This brought down the house, and Tommy joined in the admiringcries which greeted the accomplished gymnast as he righted himself, andlooked at them with an air of calm superiority.
"Do you think I could learn to do it without its hurting me very much?"Tom meekly asked, as he rubbed the elbows which still smarted after thelast attempt.
"What will you give me if I'll teach you?" said Dan.
"My new jack-knife; it's got five blades, and only one is broken."
"Give it here, then."
Tommy handed it over with an affectionate look at its smooth handle.Dan examined it carefully, then putting it into his pocket, walked off,saying with a wink,
"Keep it up till you learn, that's all."
A howl of wrath from Tommy was followed by a general uproar, which didnot subside till Dan, finding himself in a minority, proposed that theyshould play stick-knife, and whichever won should have the treasure.Tommy agreed, and the game was played in a circle of excited faces,which all wore an expression of satisfaction, when Tommy won and securedthe knife in the depth of his safest pocket.
"You come off with me, and I'll show you round," said Nat, feeling thathe must have a little serious conversation with his friend in private.
What passed between them no one knew, but when they appeared again, Danwas more respectful to every one, though still gruff in his speech, andrough in his manner; and what else could be expected of the poor ladwho had been knocking about the world all his short life with no one toteach him any better?
The boys had decided that they did not like
him, and so they left himto Nat, who soon felt rather oppressed by the responsibility, but tookind-hearted to desert him.
Tommy, however, felt that in spite of the jack-knife transaction,there was a bond of sympathy between them, and longed to return to theinteresting subject of somersaults. He soon found an opportunity, forDan, seeing how much he admired him, grew more amiable, and by the endof the first week was quite intimate with the lively Tom.
Mr. Bhaer, when he heard the story and saw Dan, shook his head, but onlysaid quietly,
"The experiment may cost us something, but we will try it."
If Dan felt any gratitude for his protection, he did not show it, andtook without thanks all that was give him. He was ignorant, but veryquick to learn when he chose; had sharp eyes to watch what went on abouthim; a saucy tongue, rough manners, and a temper that was fierce andsullen by turns. He played with all his might, and played well at almostall the games. He was silent and gruff before grown people, and onlynow and then was thoroughly sociable among the lads. Few of them reallyliked him, but few could help admiring his courage and strength, fornothing daunted him, and he knocked tall Franz flat on one occasion withan ease that caused all the others to keep at a respectful distance fromhis fists. Mr. Bhaer watched him silently, and did his best to tame the"Wild Boy," as they called him, but in private the worthy man shook hishead, and said soberly, "I hope the experiment will turn out well, but Iam a little afraid it may cost too much."
Mrs. Bhaer lost her patience with him half a dozen times a day, yetnever gave him up, and always insisted that there was something goodin the lad, after all; for he was kinder to animals than to people, heliked to rove about in the woods, and, best of all, little Ted was fondof him. What the secret was no one could discover, but Baby took to himat once gabbled and crowed whenever he saw him preferred his strong backto ride on to any of the others and called him "My Danny" out of hisown little head. Teddy was the only creature to whom Dan showed anaffection, and this was only manifested when he thought no oneelse would see it; but mothers' eyes are quick, and motherly heartsinstinctively divine who love their babies. So Mrs. Jo soon saw and feltthat there was a soft spot in rough Dan, and bided her time to touch andwin him.
But an unexpected and decidedly alarming event upset all their plans,and banished Dan from Plumfield.
Tommy, Nat, and Demi began by patronizing Dan, because the otherlads rather slighted him; but soon they each felt there was a certainfascination about the bad boy, and from looking down upon him they cameto looking up, each for a different reason. Tommy admired his skill andcourage; Nat was grateful for past kindness; and Demi regarded him asa sort of animated story book, for when he chose Dan could tell hisadventures in a most interesting way. It pleased Dan to have the threefavorites like him, and he exerted himself to be agreeable, which wasthe secret of his success.
The Bhaers were surprised, but hoped the lads would have a goodinfluence over Dan, and waited with some anxiety, trusting that no harmwould come of it.
Dan felt they did not quite trust him, and never showed them his bestside, but took a wilful pleasure in trying their patience and thwartingtheir hopes as far as he dared.
Mr. Bhaer did not approve of fighting, and did not think it a proof ofeither manliness or courage for two lads to pommel one another forthe amusement of the rest. All sorts of hardy games and exercises wereencouraged, and the boys were expected to take hard knocks and tumbleswithout whining; but black eyes and bloody noses given for the fun of itwere forbidden as a foolish and a brutal play.
Dan laughed at this rule, and told such exciting tales of his own valor,and the many frays that he had been in, that some of the lads were firedwith a desire to have a regular good "mill."
"Don't tell, and I'll show you how," said Dan; and, getting half a dozenof the lads together behind the barn, he gave them a lesson in boxing,which quite satisfied the ardor of most of them. Emil, however, couldnot submit to be beaten by a fellow younger than himself, for Emil waspast fourteen and a plucky fellow, so he challenged Dan to a fight. Danaccepted at once, and the others looked on with intense interest.
What little bird carried the news to head-quarters no one ever knew,but, in the very hottest of the fray, when Dan and Emil were fightinglike a pair of young bulldogs, and the others with fierce, excitedfaces were cheering them on, Mr. Bhaer walked into the ring, plucked thecombatants apart with a strong hand, and said, in the voice they seldomheard,
"I can't allow this, boys! Stop it at once; and never let me see itagain. I keep a school for boys, not for wild beasts. Look at each otherand be ashamed of yourselves."
"You let me go, and I'll knock him down again," shouted Dan, sparringaway in spite of the grip on his collar.
"Come on, come on, I ain't thrashed yet!" cried Emil, who had been downfive times, but did not know when he was beaten.
"They are playing be gladdy what-you-call-'ems, like the Romans, UncleFritz," called out Demi, whose eyes were bigger than ever with theexcitement of this new pastime.
"They were a fine set of brutes; but we have learned something sincethen, I hope, and I cannot have you make my barn a Colosseum. Whoproposed this?" asked Mr. Bhaer.
"Dan," answered several voices.
"Don't you know that it is forbidden?"
"Yes," growled Dan, sullenly.
"Then why break the rule?"
"They'll all be molly-coddles, if they don't know how to fight."
"Have you found Emil a molly-coddle? He doesn't look much like one,"and Mr. Bhaer brought the two face to face. Dan had a black eye, and hisjacket was torn to rags, but Emil's face was covered with blood from acut lip and a bruised nose, while a bump on his forehead was already aspurple as a plum. In spite of his wounds however, he still glared uponhis foe, and evidently panted to renew the fight.
"He'd make a first-rater if he was taught," said Dan, unable to withholdthe praise from the boy who made it necessary for him to do his best.
"He'll be taught to fence and box by and by, and till then I thinkhe will do very well without any lessons in mauling. Go and wash yourfaces; and remember, Dan, if you break any more of the rules again, youwill be sent away. That was the bargain; do your part and we will doours."
The lads went off, and after a few more words to the spectators, Mr.Bhaer followed to bind up the wounds of the young gladiators. Emil wentto bed sick, and Dan was an unpleasant spectacle for a week.
But the lawless lad had no thought of obeying, and soon transgressedagain.
One Saturday afternoon as a party of the boys went out to play, Tommysaid,
"Let's go down to the river, and cut a lot of new fish-poles."
"Take Toby to drag them back, and one of us can ride him down," proposedStuffy, who hated to walk.
"That means you, I suppose; well, hurry up, lazy-bones," said Dan.
Away they went, and having got the poles were about to go home, whenDemi unluckily said to Tommy, who was on Toby with a long rod in hishand,
"You look like the picture of the man in the bull-fight, only youhaven't got a red cloth, or pretty clothes on."
"I'd like to see one; there's old Buttercup in the big meadow, ride ather, Tom, and see her run," proposed Dan, bent on mischief.
"No, you mustn't," began Demi, who was learning to distrust Dan'spropositions.
"Why not, little fuss-button?" demanded Dan.
"I don't think Uncle Fritz would like it."
"Did he ever say we must not have a bull-fight?"
"No, I don't think he ever did," admitted Demi.
"Then hold your tongue. Drive on, Tom, and here's a red rag to flap atthe old thing. I'll help you to stir her up," and over the wall wentDan, full of the new game, and the rest followed like a flock of sheep;even Demi, who sat upon the bars, and watched the fun with interest.
Poor Buttercup was not in a very good mood, for she had been latelybereft of her calf, and mourned for the little thing most dismally. Justnow she regarded all mankind as her enemies (and I do not
blame her),so when the matadore came prancing towards her with the red handkerchiefflying at the end of his long lance, she threw up her head, and gavea most appropriate "Moo!" Tommy rode gallantly at her, and Tobyrecognizing an old friend, was quite willing to approach; but when thelance came down on her back with a loud whack, both cow and donkey weresurprised and disgusted. Toby back with a bray of remonstrance, andButtercup lowered her horns angrily.
"At her again, Tom; she's jolly cross, and will do it capitally!" calledDan, coming up behind with another rod, while Jack and Ned followed hisexample.
Seeing herself thus beset, and treated with such disrespect, Buttercuptrotted round the field, getting more and more bewildered and excitedevery moment, for whichever way she turned, there was a dreadful boy,yelling and brandishing a new and very disagreeable sort of whip. It wasgreat fun for them, but real misery for her, till she lost patience andturned the tables in the most unexpected manner. All at once she wheeledshort round, and charged full at her old friend Toby, whose conduct cuther to the heart. Poor slow Toby backed so precipitately that he trippedover a stone, and down went horse, matadore, and all, in one ignominiousheap, while distracted Buttercup took a surprising leap over the wall,and galloped wildly out of sight down the road.
"Catch her, stop her, head her off! run, boys, run!" shouted Dan,tearing after her at his best pace, for she was Mr. Bhaer's petAlderney, and if anything happened to her, Dan feared it would be allover with him. Such a running and racing and bawling and puffing asthere was before she was caught! The fish-poles were left behind; Tobywas trotted nearly off his legs in the chase; and every boy was red,breathless, and scared. They found poor Buttercup at last in a flowergarden, where she had taken refuge, worn out with the long run.Borrowing a rope for a halter, Dan led her home, followed by a partyof very sober young gentlemen, for the cow was in a sad state, havingstrained her shoulder jumping, so that she limped, her eyes looked wild,and her glossy coat was wet and muddy.
"You'll catch it this time, Dan," said Tommy, as he led the wheezingdonkey beside the maltreated cow.
"So will you, for you helped."
"We all did, but Demi," added Jack.
"He put it into our heads," said Ned.
"I told you not to do it," cried Demi, who was most broken-hearted atpoor Buttercup's state.
"Old Bhaer will send me off, I guess. Don't care if he does," mutteredDan, looking worried in spite of his words.
"We'll ask him not to, all of us," said Demi, and the others assentedwith the exception of Stuffy, who cherished the hope that all thepunishment might fall on one guilty head. Dan only said, "Don't botherabout me;" but he never forgot it, even though he led the lads astrayagain, as soon as the temptation came.
When Mr. Bhaer saw the animal, and heard the story, he said very little,evidently fearing that he should say too much in the first moments ofimpatience. Buttercup was made comfortable in her stall, and the boyssent to their rooms till supper-time. This brief respite gave them timeto think the matter over, to wonder what the penalty would be, and totry to imagine where Dan would be sent. He whistled briskly in his room,so that no one should think he cared a bit; but while he waited to knowhis fate, the longing to stay grew stronger and stronger, the more herecalled the comfort and kindness he had known here, the hardship andneglect he had felt elsewhere. He knew they tried to help him, and atthe bottom of his heart he was grateful, but his rough life had madehim hard and careless, suspicious and wilful. He hated restraint of anysort, and fought against it like an untamed creature, even while he knewit was kindly meant, and dimly felt that he would be the better for it.He made up his mind to be turned adrift again, to knock about the cityas he had done nearly all his life; a prospect that made him knithis black brows, and look about the cosy little room with a wistfulexpression that would have touched a much harder heart than Mr. Bhaer'sif he had seen it. It vanished instantly, however, when the good mancame in, and said in his accustomed grave way,
"I have heard all about it, Dan, and though you have broken the rulesagain, I am going to give you one more trial, to please Mother Bhaer."
Dan flushed up to his forehead at this unexpected reprieve, but he onlysaid in his gruff way,
"I didn't know there was any rule about bull-fighting."
"As I never expected to have any at Plumfield, I never did make sucha rule," answered Mr. Bhaer, smiling in spite of himself at the boy'sexcuse. Then he added gravely, "But one of the first and most importantof our few laws is the law of kindness to every dumb creature on theplace. I want everybody and everything to be happy here, to loveand trust, and serve us, as we try to love and trust and serve themfaithfully and willingly. I have often said that you were kinder to theanimals than any of the other boys, and Mrs. Bhaer liked that trait inyou very much, because she thought it showed a good heart. But you havedisappointed us in that, and we are sorry, for we hoped to make youquite one of us. Shall we try again?"
Dan's eyes had been on the floor, and his hands nervously picking atthe bit of wood he had been whittling as Mr. Bhaer came in, but when heheard the kind voice ask that question, he looked up quickly, and saidin a more respectful tone than he had ever used before,
"Yes, please."
"Very well, then, we will say no more, only you will stay at home fromthe walk to-morrow, as the other boys will and all of you must wait onpoor Buttercup till she is well again."
"I will."
"Now, go down to supper, and do your best, my boy, more for your ownsake than for ours." Then Mr. Bhaer shook hands with him, and Dan wentdown more tamed by kindness than he would have been by the good whippingwhich Asia had strongly recommended.
Dan did try for a day or two, but not being used to it, he soon tiredand relapsed into his old wilful ways. Mr. Bhaer was called from homeon business one day, and the boys had no lessons. They liked this, andplayed hard till bedtime, when most of them turned in and slept likedormice. Dan, however, had a plan in his head, and when he and Nat werealone, he unfolded it.
"Look here!" he said, taking from under his bed a bottle, a cigar, and apack of cards, "I'm going to have some fun, and do as I used to withthe fellows in town. Here's some beer, I got if of the old man at thestation, and this cigar; you can pay for 'em or Tommy will, he's gotheaps of money and I haven't a cent. I'm going to ask him in; no, yougo, they won't mind you."
"The folks won't like it," began Nat.
"They won't know. Daddy Bhaer is away, and Mrs. Bhaer's busy with Ted;he's got croup or something, and she can't leave him. We shan't sit uplate or make any noise, so where's the harm?"
"Asia will know if we burn the lamp long, she always does."
"No, she won't, I've got a dark lantern on purpose; it don't give muchlight, and we can shut it quick if we hear anyone coming," said Dan.
This idea struck Nat as a fine one, and lent an air of romance to thething. He started off to tell Tommy, but put his head in again to say,
"You want Demi, too, don't you?"
"No, I don't; the Deacon will rollup eyes and preach if you tell him. Hewill be asleep, so just tip the wink to Tom and cut back again."
Nat obeyed, and returned in a minute with Tommy half dressed, rathertousled about the head and very sleepy, but quite ready for fun asusual.
"Now, keep quiet, and I'll show you how to play a first-rate game called'Poker,'" said Dan, as the three revellers gathered round the table, onwhich were set forth the bottle, the cigar, and the cards. "First we'llall have a drink, then we'll take a go at the 'weed,' and then we'llplay. That's the way men do, and it's jolly fun."
The beer circulated in a mug, and all three smacked their lips over it,though Nat and Tommy did not like the bitter stuff. The cigar was worsestill, but they dared not say so, and each puffed away till he was dizzyor choked, when he passed the "weed" on to his neighbor. Dan likedit, for it seemed like old times when he now and then had a chanceto imitate the low men who surrounded him. He drank, and smoked, andswaggered as much like them as he could, and, getting
into the spiritof the part he assumed, he soon began to swear under his breath forfear some one should hear him. "You mustn't; it's wicked to say 'Damn!'"cried Tommy, who had followed his leader so far.
"Oh, hang! don't you preach, but play away; it's part of the fun toswear."
"I'd rather say 'thunder turtles,'" said Tommy, who had composed thisinteresting exclamation and was very proud of it.
"And I'll say 'The Devil;' that sounds well," added Nat, much impressedby Dan's manly ways.
Dan scoffed at their "nonsense," and swore stoutly as he tried to teachthem the new game.
But Tommy was very sleepy, and Nat's head began to ache with the beerand the smoke, so neither of them was very quick to learn, and the gamedragged. The room was nearly dark, for the lantern burned badly; theycould not laugh loud nor move about much, for Silas slept next door inthe shed-chamber, and altogether the party was dull. In the middle of adeal Dan stopped suddenly, and called out, "Who's that?" in a startledtone, and at the same moment drew the slide over the light. A voice inthe darkness said tremulously, "I can't find Tommy," and then there wasthe quick patter of bare feet running away down the entry that led fromthe wing to the main house.
"It's Demi! he's gone to call some one; cut into bed, Tom, and don'ttell!" cried Dan, whisking all signs of the revel out of sight, andbeginning to tear off his clothes, while Nat did the same.
Tommy flew to his room and dived into bed, where he lay, laughingtill something burned his hand, when he discovered that he was stillclutching the stump of the festive cigar, which he happened to besmoking when the revel broke up.
It was nearly out, and he was about to extinguish it carefully whenNursey's voice was heard, and fearing it would betray him if he hid itin the bed, he threw it underneath, after a final pinch which he thoughtfinished it.
Nursey came in with Demi, who looked much amazed to see the red face ofTommy reposing peacefully upon his pillow.
"He wasn't there just now, because I woke up and could not find himanywhere," said Demi, pouncing on him.
"What mischief are you at now, bad child?" asked Nursey, with agood-natured shake, which made the sleeper open his eyes to say meekly,
"I only ran into Nat's room to see him about something. Go away, and letme alone; I'm awful sleepy."
Nursey tucked Demi in, and went off to reconnoitre, but only found twoboys slumbering peacefully in Dan's room. "Some little frolic," shethought, and as there was no harm done she said nothing to Mrs. Bhaer,who was busy and worried over little Teddy.
Tommy was sleepy, and telling Demi to mind his own business and not askquestions, he was snoring in ten minutes, little dreaming what was goingon under his bed. The cigar did not go out, but smouldered away on thestraw carpet till it was nicely on fire, and a hungry little flame wentcreeping along till the dimity bedcover caught, then the sheets, andthen the bed itself. The beer made Tommy sleep heavily, and the smokestupified Demi, so they slept on till the fire began to scorch them, andthey were in danger of being burned to death.
Franz was sitting up to study, and as he left the school-room he smeltthe smoke, dashed up-stairs and saw it coming in a cloud from the leftwing of the house. Without stopping to call any one, he ran into theroom, dragged the boys from the blazing bed, and splashed all the waterhe could find at hand on to the flames. It checked but did not quenchthe fire, and the children wakened on being tumbled topsy-turvy intoa cold hall, began to roar at the top of their voices. Mrs. Bhaerinstantly appeared, and a minute after Silas burst out of his roomshouting, "Fire!" in a tone that raised the whole house. A flock ofwhite goblins with scared faces crowded into the hall, and for a minuteevery one was panic-stricken.
Then Mrs. Bhaer found her wits, bade Nursey see to the burnt boys, andsent Franz and Silas down-stairs for some tubs of wet clothes whichshe flung on the bed, over the carpet, and up against the curtains, nowburning finely, and threatening to kindle the walls.
Most of the boys stood dumbly looking on, but Dan and Emil workedbravely, running to and fro with water from the bath-room, and helpingto pull down the dangerous curtains.
The peril was soon over, and ordering the boys all back to bed, andleaving Silas to watch lest the fire broke out again, Mrs. Bhaer andFranz went to see how the poor boys got on. Demi had escaped with oneburn and a grand scare, but Tommy had not only most of his hair scorchedoff his head, but a great burn on his arm, that made him half crazy withthe pain. Demi was soon made cosy, and Franz took him away to his ownbed, where the kind lad soothed his fright and hummed him to sleep ascosily as a woman. Nursey watched over poor Tommy all night, trying toease his misery, and Mrs. Bhaer vibrated between him and little Teddywith oil and cotton, paregoric and squills, saying to herself from timeto time, as if she found great amusement in the thought, "I always knewTommy would set the house on fire, and now he has done it!"
When Mr. Bhaer got home next morning he found a nice state of things.Tommy in bed, Teddy wheezing like a little grampus, Mrs. Jo quite usedup, and the whole flock of boys so excited that they all talked at once,and almost dragged him by main force to view the ruins. Under his quietmanagement things soon fell into order, for every one felt that he wasequal to a dozen conflagrations, and worked with a will at whatever taskhe gave them.
There was no school that morning, but by afternoon the damaged room wasput to rights, the invalids were better, and there was time to hear andjudge the little culprits quietly. Nat and Tommy told their parts in themischief, and were honestly sorry for the danger they had brought to thedear old house and all in it. But Dan put on his devil-may-care look,and would not own that there was much harm done.
Now, of all things, Mr. Bhaer hated drinking, gambling, and swearing;smoking he had given up that the lads might not be tempted to try it,and it grieved and angered him deeply to find that the boy, with whom hehad tried to be most forbearing, should take advantage of his absence tointroduce these forbidden vices, and teach his innocent little ladsto think it manly and pleasant to indulge in them. He talked long andearnestly to the assembled boys, and ended by saying, with an air ofmingled firmness and regret,
"I think Tommy is punished enough, and that scar on his arm will remindhim for a long time to let these things alone. Nat's fright will do forhim, for he is really sorry, and does try to obey me. But you, Dan, havebeen many times forgiven, and yet it does no good. I cannot have my boyshurt by your bad example, nor my time wasted in talking to deaf ears, soyou can say good-bye to them all, and tell Nursey to put up your thingsin my little black bag."
"Oh! sir, where is he going?" cried Nat.
"To a pleasant place up in the country, where I sometimes send boys whenthey don't do well here. Mr. Page is a kind man, and Dan will be happythere if he chooses to do his best."
"Will he ever come back?" asked Demi.
"That will depend on himself; I hope so."
As he spoke, Mr. Bhaer left the room to write his letter to Mr. Page,and the boys crowded round Dan very much as people do about a man who isgoing on a long and perilous journey to unknown regions.
"I wonder if you'll like it," began Jack.
"Shan't stay if I don't," said Dan coolly.
"Where will you go?" asked Nat.
"I may go to sea, or out west, or take a look at California," answeredDan, with a reckless air that quite took away the breath of the littleboys.
"Oh, don't! stay with Mr. Page awhile and then come back here; do, Dan,"pleaded Nat, much affected at the whole affair.
"I don't care where I go, or how long I stay, and I'll be hanged if Iever come back here," with which wrathful speech Dan went away to put uphis things, every one of which Mr. Bhaer had given him.
That was the only good-bye he gave the boys, for they were all talkingthe matter over in the barn when he came down, and he told Nat not tocall them. The wagon stood at the door, and Mrs. Bhaer came out to speakto Dan, looking so sad that his heart smote him, and he said in a lowtone,
"May I say good-bye to Teddy?"
"Y
es, dear; go in and kiss him, he will miss his Danny very much."
No one saw the look in Dan's eyes as he stooped over the crib, and sawthe little face light up at first sight of him, but he heard Mrs. Bhaersay pleadingly,
"Can't we give the poor lad one more trial, Fritz?" and Mr. Bhaer answerin his steady way,
"My dear, it is not best, so let him go where he can do no harm toothers, while they do good to him, and by and by he shall come back, Ipromise you."
"He's the only boy we ever failed with, and I am so grieved, for Ithought there was the making of a fine man in him, spite of his faults."
Dan heard Mrs. Bhaer sigh, and he wanted to ask for one more trialhimself, but his pride would not let him, and he came out with the hardlook on his face, shook hands without a word, and drove away with Mr.Bhaer, leaving Nat and Mrs. Jo to look after him with tears in theireyes.
A few days afterwards they received a letter from Mr. Page, saying thatDan was doing well, whereat they all rejoiced. But three weeks latercame another letter, saying that Dan had run away, and nothing had beenheard of him, whereat they all looked sober, and Mr. Bhaer said,
"Perhaps I ought to have given him another chance."
Mrs. Bhaer, however, nodded wisely and answered, "Don't be troubled,Fritz; the boy will come back to us, I'm sure of it."
But time went on and no Dan came.
Little Men Page 6