Chapter 13 Willow Trees and Energetic Colts.
The old willow tree in the yard at Plumfield was a favorite place for all the children.
They climbed up its boughs and left many secrets behind in its leaves.
One afternoon, after Daisy and Nan finished washing their doll's clothes in the brook, they decided to perch up in the tree's nest until the clothes had all dried.
Their conversation quickly turned from doll clothes to doll furniture and the benefits of feather beds for the dolls' weary heads.
For the better part of the afternoon, a long talk about giving up dolls was had, with Daisy worried about how they would fare without their adoptive mother.
Nan felt she was simply growing too old to care.
Oh, piddle, paddle, I don't want a house or dolls when I grow up, Nan said.
One day I'll have a room full of bottles and drawers and cure sick people.
I'm going to be a doctor.
Mother Jo says so.
Ugh, Daisy said.
How can you stand the bad-smelling stuff and the nasty little powders?
Oh, that doesn't bother me.
Father Bear had shown Nan the herbs in the garden, and she was learning all about them.
The boys took to calling her Dr. Giddy Gaddy, and she adored it.
From splinters to stomach aches, Nan cured them all.
Jo was ever so pleased at her progress.
Nan's doctoring, as she called it, had helped cure her flighty tomboy nature.
Daisy looked down and said we'd better get those clothes back up to the house before they blow away.
Down they came from the old willow, and it wasn't but a moment before Nat and Tommy climbed up.
Now it's safe, Tommy said as he looked around, and I can tell you a secret.
Nat happily said, tell away.
I've got just the way to make it up to Dan for all of us suspecting him, Tommy answered.
What's that?
I think we should give him a microscope, Tommy replied.
He wants one so terribly, and it would make a jolly good present.
Tip top, Nat cried.
Won't it be expensive though?
Course it will, but i've got my five dollars, and that should be more than enough.
Tommy said what does father bear think?
Tommy replied he thinks it's a grand idea as well, and i think you should ask if you can come to town with us on monday to pick it out.
Nat smiled and you shall have my three dollars too.
I don't need a new fiddle, my old one suits me just fine.
Let's go ask father bear now if i can come.
Just as Tommy and Nat found their way down from the tree, Demi and Dan returned from a long walk in the woods and climbed up to have a rest in the shade.
They had collected all sorts of leaves on their walk, so naturally, Demi wanted to know more about them.
The elder boy patiently answered every one of Demi's questions.
When Dan spied Joe and Little Teddy coming along underneath them, he said, Shh!
Little Teddy cried, Mama, I want to fish-fish.
But before Joe could break a branch off the tree to use as a pole, one landed at her feet.
She looked up and found Dan and Demi laughing.
The minute Teddy saw Dan, he shouted, Up, up!
Demi started down and said, Yes, Teddy, you can come up because I'm getting down.
I've got loads to tell Daisy.
Dan called down to Mother Joe.
Why don't you come up, too?
There's lots of room.
Joe laughed and said, Well, I haven't been up a tree since I was married.
I did used to love to do so when I was a girl.
You know, I think I will.
And up she climbed.
While Dan made a fishing pole for Teddy, they talked about what a good influence he was becoming on the younger boys.
Dan had been working so hard the last few months to be good, and he was very pleased with Joe's words.
Their pleasant talk was interrupted by Teddy scrambling down and dropping the fine fishing pole into the brook.
We'd better watch him, Dan said.
I think it's a lovely idea.
I'll stay up here for a while and read my book.
You mean I'll be alone?
Joe laughed.
Why, of course, I trust you, dear boy, and Teddy would have a much better time fishing with you than with me.
Dan's smile burst from ear to ear.
It was the dearest thing to his heart to know that Mother Jo trusted him with her precious son, who felt so much like a brother to him.
Teddy and Dan spent a quiet hour by the brook listening to the water rush, by waiting for a fish to bite.
Meanwhile, Jo sat happy as a clam, reading her book.
The old willow had never seen or heard so many secrets in one day.
Not long after the lovely afternoon Dan spent with Joe up the old willow tree, she looked out the window to see him racing around the half-mile triangle in the backyard.
What in the world is that boy doing?
Joe said.
Dan raced around and around the track, pushing himself faster and faster.
When he finished, he did somersaults and even tried to jump over the old wall.
Are you training for a race, Dan?
Joe called out.
He looked up and said, Just working off some steam.
But it's so hot, she shouted.
Be careful you don't make yourself ill.
I've got to run, Mother Jo, I've just got to.
Joe remembered his rough life and knew that it must be hard, after having all that freedom, to stay in one place.
Is Plumfield too small for you? she asked.
Do you want to roam?
Dan kicked the dirt at his feet and said I don't want to.
No, but sometimes I feel like I need to get away.
That's why I was running out here.
Well, it's better than fighting, isn't it?
Dan nodded in agreement.
Maybe we need to find a way for you to work off your steam around the house and give you a bit of freedom too.
I think you need it, Joe added.
Dan had grown tall and strong and was full of energy.
Joe knew that all he needed now was a bit of responsibility.
I've got it, she said.
How would you like to be my expressman?
Do you mean to go into town and do the errands, Dan asked.
Exactly.
Franz is tired of it, and Father Bear doesn't have time.
Old Andy's a safe horse, and you're a good driver.
Suppose we try it.
Dan smiled.
I'd like it ever so much, but I need to go on my own, without any of the other boys.
Joe thought for a second, and then said, As long as Father Bear agrees it's settled.
But you'll have to get up extra early so you can be back in time for school.
Dan grinned.
Oh, I won't mind that.
I'm already an early bird.
Father Bear did not think it an entirely good idea, but he agreed to a trial period.
Dan was up and about early the next morning and made it back in time for school all of his errands complete.
But even the errands weren't enough to use up all of Dan's energy, and soon he was racing around Palmfield again.
Father Bear led him out into the pasture one afternoon and said Here, why don't you wrestle with these trees?
The knots and roots all need to be cleared before we can use this field.
Between the errands and the fieldwork, Dan managed to work off a lot of his extra energy.
But it wasn't until Laurie's unbroken horse Charlie, came to Plumfield that he found the perfect way to settle down.
We understand each other, don't we?
Dan mumbled to Charlie as he nuzzled his head.
Every now and again, Laurie would come to see how Charlie was getting on.
He even suggested that the fall would be a good time to try and break him.
Dan said He lets me put a halter on him, but I don't think he'll bear a saddle, even if you put it on.
I shall coax him, Laurie said.
He was mistreated, but I think it will do him good to be broken.
For the next few days, Dan wondered what Charlie would do if he saddled him up.
Finally, he decided to try it.
As soon as the saddle was on Charlie's back and Dan sat down, the horse tossed the boy off.
Dan and Charlie played this game with each other for many days.
Every time Dan tried something different to introduce the horse to the saddle, Charlie would outsmart him.
After weeks of trying and lots of bruises, Dan finally broke the cold.
When Lori discovered what the boy had done, he was too pleased, and he gave Dan some riding lessons.
Soon, Dan was the only one allowed on Charlie.
Wednesdays were always essay day at Plumfield.
On one particular Wednesday, all of the children plus Mother Jo were out in the museum to listen to the boys present their work.
Father Bear had finished his final lesson and was about to insist that they were done for the day when Tommy shouted Wait, we're not done.
We must give the thing.
Bless my heart, I forgot.
Now is the time, Tommy.
Father Bear sat down and Nat, Tommy, and Demi left the room.
When they came back, they had a giant red wooden box with them, which they handed to Dan.
Here you go, Tommy said.
We wanted to give you something to make up for what happened with my quarters and to show you how happy we are that you came back to Blumfield.
Dan was so surprised he couldn't speak.
He opened up the microscope case and shouted, What a stunner.
It's just what I wanted.
Give us a shake, Tommy.
It's perfect.
Thank you.
Thank all of you.
Stepping away from the boys, Dan held his hand out first to Father Bear and then to Mother Jo and thanked them both.
Everyone took a turn looking through the eyepiece at all the wonderful creatures Dan had been collecting all this time for their museum.
Just before closing the museum door and letting the boys have their fun, Joe shouted Good job.
Today, my boys
Father Bear and I leave you in the capable hands of your new professor of natural history.
On the way back to the main house, Joe and Father Bear couldn't help but smile as they thought of how far Dan had come from taking care of Teddy while fishing to running off his team in such productive ways.
I never would have believed it possible, Father Bear said, for that boy to turn out so well.
Oh, I always knew he had it in him, Joe replied.
I'm just so happy to see him shine now and leave all that nonsense behind him.
