Chapter 9 Home Again.
Now that it was summer, the boys' classes were shorter and they spent a lot of time outside.
The garden came along nicely, and they helped with the weeding.
Plumfield stood open from morning until night to welcome all home at a moment's notice.
One balmy night, as Joe was putting Teddy to bed, he said in his baby voice 'Oh my Danny' and pointed to the window.
Joe said, No, my dear.
He is not there.
It's just the moon.
No, no.
My Danny at the window.
At the window.
Teddy shouted as he bounced up and down.
Joe scooped up her little boy and raced to the front door, hoping to see Dan.
She even called out to him, but there was no one there.
It was almost ten o'clock when Jo went to lock up the house for the night.
As she looked around, something caught her eye.
A dash of white out in the front yard.
The children had been playing out there this afternoon and Jo thought that Nan must have left her hat outside.
But when she went out to retrieve it, she found Dan, fast asleep on the lawn.
One of his feet was bare, and the other was tied up in an old gingham jacket.
He must not lie here, Joe said, and she shook him softly as she called out his name.
Mother, Joe, Dan mumbled.
I've come home.
Joe smiled and said, we are very glad to see you.
Dan stirred.
I had planned just to stop by and be on my way in the morning, he said.
Why don't you come in?
Everyone would love to see you, especially Teddy.
Didn't you hear him calling you?
Dan hung his head.
I didn't suppose you'd let me in.
Jo held out her hand to help him, for he had hurt his foot badly.
As he leaned on an old stick, Dan said, Father Bear will not be pleased with me.
I've run away from Mr. Page.
He knows, Jo said.
He was sorry to hear it, but he'll still be happy you're home.
Now, what happened to your foot?
As I was climbing over a stone wall, one large rock came loose and fell on me, Dan replied.
It's not that bad, and I don't mind.
But Jo could see that he was in an awful lot of pain.
She helped him into her parlor and gave him something to eat and drink.
Once he was settled in, Dan told her about all of his unhappy adventures.
When she left the room for more bandages, Jo found Father Bear and told him of Dan's hard time since leaving them.
Father Bear said at once that the boy should stay.
Dan overheard everything and allowed just two tears to fall down his face.
All his anger was now behind him.
He had never been so happy to be home.
But do go and tend to his foot, my dear, Joe said.
I am afraid it is badly hurt.
And be kind to him.
He's had a hard time of it.
Father Bear smiled at his wife and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Then he went in to see Dan.
So, you like Plumfield better than Page's Farm, he said kindly.
Let's make sure we get along better this time around.
Thank you, sir, Dan said, without a hint of the old gruffness in his voice.
Father Bear took a good look at Dan's foot and said that they must call for the doctor in the morning, and then he bandaged it up tightly.
The next morning, Teddy found Dan and ran toward him with a huge smile on his little face.
The doctor came that afternoon to set the bones in his foot right, which Dan bore with great bravery.
The doctor was pleased because it wasn't a bad break and should heal well.
Soon the boys were allowed in to see Dan and he told them all about his adventures, careful not to make them sound too grand, for nothing was better than life at Plumfield.
The boys were so happy to have Dan back, for they had all missed him very much.
But no one was happier than Jo.
She saw a great change in the boy and he made Teddy so happy that her heart soared just to think of it.
On her way upstairs, after settling Dan in for a night's sleep in the parlor, she thought he's finally made a turn for the better, although I suspect it will be hard for him to be entirely good all the time.
