Chapter 10 Uncle Laurie's Visit Dan spent an entire week recovering.
He moved from sofa to bed and rested even though he longed to be outside in the warm summer weather.
The doctor came by late the next Sunday afternoon and said The foot is doing much better than I expected.
Give the lad a crutch and let him move around a little.
Everyone was very glad and after dinner the entire house stood together to watch Dan walk with the crutch up and down the hallway.
He tired after a few steps, so he settled on the porch with the boys at his feet.
He was pleased by the attention and smiled as the girls fussed over his pillows.
Little Teddy even dragged out a stool for him to rest his foot upon.
A large group of people was already gathered outside the house when a carriage drove up and an arm waved from the gate.
Rob cried out, Uncle Laurie, and ran down the drive as fast as his small legs would take him.
The rest of the boys, except Dan, of course, followed close behind.
They raced to see who could open the gate first.
Uncle Laurie just laughed and bounced his daughter Bess on his knee.
He shouted in good fun, hey-ho, let a man get down.
Jo stood with her hands on her hips and a big smile on her face.
How goes it, Laurie?
All right, Joe?
They shook hands, and Laurie handed Bess over to Joe.
He said, Bessie wanted to see her aunt so much that we raced right over.
We've decided to play with the boys for an hour or so, if they don't have any other plans.
I'm so glad, Joe said.
Do play away, but don't get into mischief.
The warning was, of course, for the boys who crowded around.
Sweet Bess with her long golden hair and dainty dress and lofty ways.
They called her Princess and did her bidding at all times.
Bess wished to see Daisy's little kitchen, so off they went upstairs.
The older boys went out into the garden to make sure everything was tip-top.
As always, Lori had a good look around.
Standing on the steps, Lori said to Dan, Joe told me all about your accident.
How is the foot?
It's much better, sir.
Getting tired of the house, Laurie asked.
Dan let his eyes wander over to the green hills and answered, I guess I am.
Why don't we take a quick ride in the carriage?
The fresh air will do you good.
Laurie asked Demi to get another cushion and a jacket for Dan.
Are you sure Mother Jo won't mind? the boy asked.
Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine, Laurie said.
Trust me.
In a few minutes, Dan was settled in the carriage, his foot tucked in so it wouldn't get hurt.
Demi, Nat and Laurie all climbed aboard and they were well on their way before the older gentleman took a funny little stone from his pocket to show the boys.
Look here, he said.
It's a beetle that's thousands of years old.
How did it get like this?
Nat marveled as he turned the gray stone over in his hand.
Why, it's a mummy, Laurie answered.
He went on to tell the boys stories of the Egyptians and their tombs, with all the great treasures to be found within.
Laurie had just returned from a trip to Egypt.
He was full of the adventure, and the boys hung on his every word.
Soon Nat, Dan and Demi were pulling objects out of their pockets, showing them to one another and telling stories.
You know, Lori said I think it's a good idea for you boys to have a museum of your own, a place to keep all your treasures so you can always show them to one another.
But there's no room at Plumfield, Demi said.
Where would we set it up?
I've already thought about that, Lori answered.
Father Bear and I are going to fix up the old carriage house for you.
Won't that be grand? the three boys all agreed that it absolutely would.
They had arrived back at Plumfield by now and the driver asked if they would like to go around again.
Lori told him that Dan needed his rest and even though the boys would have loved to go around again, they knew the ride had come to an end.
Once Dan was safely settled back on the porch, Lori walked through the garden and examined all the boys' hard work.
By the time he was done, Jo had found her way outside.
Lori sat down at a stool with the boys and said You know Dan, I was the head boy at this school once.
Wait, Dan said.
I thought that was Franz.
Oh, no, Lori said.
I was the very first boy Jo ever took care of, and she's still not done, even though she's been working on me for years and years.
They all laughed.
You see, he continued, She was only 15 when she started.
I've caused her so much trouble, it's a wonder she's not old, wrinkled, and gray.
Oh, Lori, Joe said, don't be so silly.
If it hadn't been for you, there would be no Plumfield.
I think we should rename the old carriage house the Lawrence Museum.
How does that sound, boys?
Shouts of great and hooray rose up all around.
When they finally died down, Lori said, Joe, I'm starving.
How about we all have a snack?
Apples, cookies, anything?
Just as Joe was about to send Demi to the kitchen to ask Asia for a snack, Lori jumped up and ran to the carriage.
Hold on, he shouted.
When he returned, he was carrying a lovely white package.
They're gingerbread cookies that your mother made, Joe.
She would have been very upset with me had I forgotten to share them.
The gingerbread was passed around from boy to boy, and each took a piece.
Each cookie was in a shape that delighted a particular boy.
Nat's was a fiddle, Demi's a book, and Tommy's a monkey.
As he brushed the crumbs off his hands, Laurie said, Well, my hour's almost up.
Has anyone seen my princess?
At just that second, Nan tore around the corner at a breakneck pace, chasing a team of four boys pretending to be horses.
Daisy followed swiftly behind with little Bess in a wheelbarrow.
That's them now.
Jo said with a worried tone in her voice, and just as we thought Nan was becoming more ladylike.
Lori shouted, what on earth are you doing?
He lifted Bess up out of the wheelbarrow and looked at them sternly.
Daisy said breathlessly, we were having a race.
I would have won too, but I was worried about spilling Bessie from the wheelbarrow.
I won, Nan shouted.
Joe and Lori both shook their heads as the girls raced off again, leaving Bess behind.
Goodbye, Joe, Lori said, and good luck.
In just one short week, the Lawrence Museum was up and running in the old carriage house.
The boys spent an afternoon inside, finding homes for all their boyish treasures.
Rocks, bugs, snake skins, and all manner of objects that captured their attention.
Lori returned for the official opening ceremony and gave a lovely speech about how the boys weren't just to collect things but to learn all about their objects as well.
He named Dan, keeper of the museum, which pleased the boy to no end.
Father Bear even gave him a lovely book all about insects so he could teach the other boys.
After the boys went back to the house to wash for dinner, Lori stood back with Joe and said Joe, I have known what it's like to be a motherless boy.
I will never forget how much you and yours have done for me all these years.
No more words were necessary as Joe patted her dear friend's hand and they went back up to the house for the celebrations.
