what I mean, don’t you?”
“Yes’m,” was all the boys said, but they stole a shamefaced look at
one another, as they meekly shouldered their kites and walked
home, thinking of another party where the guests had not behaved
themselves, and things had gone badly on account of it.
CHAPTER X HOME AGAIN
July had come, and haying begun; the little gardens were doing
finely and the long summer days were full of pleasant hours. The
house stood open from morning till night, and the lads lived out of
doors, except at school time. The lessons were short, and there
were many holidays, for the Bhaers believed in cultivating healthy
bodies by much exercise, and our short summers are best used in
out-of-door work. Such a rosy, sunburnt, hearty set as the boys
became; such appetites as they had; such sturdy arms and legs, as
outgrew jackets and trousers; such laughing and racing all over the
place; such antics in house and barn; such adventures in the tramps
over hill and dale; and such satisfaction in the hearts of the worthy
Bhaers, as they saw their flock prospering in mind and body, I
cannot begin to describe. Only one thing was needed to make them
quite happy, and it came when they least expected it.
One balmy night when the little lads were in bed, the elder ones
bathing down at the brook, and Mrs. Bhaer undressing Teddy in
her parlor, he suddenly cried out, “Oh, my Danny!” and pointed to
the window, where the moon shone brightly.
“No, lovey, he is not there, it was the pretty moon,” said his
mother.
“No, no, Danny at a window; Teddy saw him,” persisted baby,
much excited.
“It might have been,” and Mrs. Bhaer hurried to the window,
hoping it would prove true. But the face was gone, and nowhere
appeared any signs of a mortal boy; she called his name, ran to the
front door with Teddy in his little shirt, and made him call too,
thinking the baby voice might have more effect than her own. No
one answered, nothing appeared , and they went back much
disappointed. Teddy would not be satisfied with the moon, and
after he was in his crib kept popping up his head to ask if Danny
was not “tummin’ soon.”
By and by he fell asleep, the lads trooped up to bed, the house
grew still, and nothing but the chirp of the crickets broke the soft
silence of the summer night. Mrs. Bhaer sat sewing, for the big
basket was always piled with socks, full of portentous holes, and
thinking of the lost boy. She had decided that baby had been
mistaken, and did not even disturb Mr. Bhaer by telling him of the
child’s fancy, for the poor man got little time to himself till the
boys were abed, and he was busy writing letters. It was past ten
when she rose to shut up the house. As she paused a minute to
enjoy the lovely scene from the steps, something white caught her
eye on one of the hay-cocks scattered over the lawn. The children
had been playing there all the afternoon, and, fancying that Nan
had left her hat as usual, Mrs. Bhaer went out to get it. But as she
approached, she saw that it was neither hat nor handkerchief, but a
shirt sleeve with a brown hand sticking out of it. She hurried round
the hay-cock, and there lay Dan, fast asleep.
Ragged, dirty, thin, and worn-out he looked; one foot was bare, the
other tied up in the old gingham jacket which he had taken from
his own back to use as a clumsy bandage for some hurt. He seemed
to have hidden himself behind the hay-cock, but in his sleep had
thrown out the arm that had betrayed him. He sighed and muttered
as if his dreams disturbed him, and once when he moved, he
groaned as if in pain, but still slept on quite spent with weariness.
“He must not lie here,” said Mrs. Bhaer, and stooping over him she
gently called his name. He opened his eyes and looked at her, as if
she was a part of his dream, for he smiled and said drowsily,