mighty river, with the handsome dark men to work his boat; how
he shot alligators, saw wonderful beasts and birds; and afterwards
crossed the desert on a camel, who pitched him about like a ship in
a storm.
“Uncle Teddy tells stories ‘most as well as Grandpa,” said Demi,
approvingly, when the tale was done, and the boys’ eyes asked for
more.
“Thank you,” said Mr. Laurie, quite soberly, for he considered
Demi’s praise worth having, for children are good critics in such
cases, and to suit them is an accomplishment that any one may be
proud of.
“Here’s another trifle or two that I tucked into my pocket as I was
turning over my traps to see if I had any thing that would amuse
Dan,” and Uncle Teddy produced a fine arrow-head and a string of
wampum.
“Oh! tell about the Indians,” cried Demi, who was fond of playing
wigwam.
“Dan knows lots about them,” added Nat.
“More than I do, I dare say. Tell us something,” and Mr. Laurie
looked as interested as the other two.
“Mr. Hyde told me; he’s been among ’em, and can talk their talk,
and likes ’em,” began Dan, flattered by their attention, but rather
embarrassed by having a grown-up listener.
“What is wampum for?” asked curious Demi, from his perch.
The others asked questions likewise, and, before he knew it, Dan
was reeling off all Mr. Hyde had told him, as they sailed down the
river a few weeks before. Mr. Laurie listened well, but found the
boy more interesting than the Indians, for Mrs. Jo had told him
about Dan, and he rather took a fancy to the wild lad, who ran
away as he himself had often longed to do, and who was slowly
getting tamed by pain and patience.
“I’ve been thinking that it would be a good plan for you fellows to
have a museum of your own; a place in which to collect all the
curious and interesting things that you find, and make, and have
given you. Mrs. Jo is too kind to complain, but it is rather hard for
her to have the house littered up with all sorts of rattletraps,
half-a-pint of dor-bugs in one of her best vases, for instance, a
couple of dead bats nailed up in the back entry, wasps nests
tumbling down on people’s heads, and stones lying round
everywhere, enough to pave the avenue. There are not many
women who would stand that sort of thing, are there, now?”
As Mr. Laurie spoke with a merry look in his eyes, the boys
laughed and nudged one another, for it was evident that some one
told tales out of school, else how could he know of the existence
of these inconvenient treasures.
“Where can we put them, then?” said Demi, crossing his legs and
leaning down to argue the question.
“In the old carriage-house.”
“But it leaks, and there isn’t any window, nor any place to put
things, and it’s all dust and cobwebs,” began Nat.
“Wait till Gibbs and I have touched it up a bit, and then see how
you like it. He is to come over on Monday to get it ready; then next
Saturday I shall come out, and we will fix it up, and make the
beginning, at least, of a fine little museum. Every one can bring his
things, and have a place for them; and Dan is to be the head man,
because he knows most about such matters, and it will be quiet,
pleasant work for him now that he can’t knock about much.”
“Won’t that be jolly?” cried Nat, while Dan smiled all over his face
and had not a word to say, but hugged his book, and looked at Mr.
Laurie as if he thought him one of the greatest public benefactors
that ever blessed the world.
“Shall I go round again, sir?” asked Peter, as they came to the gate,
after two slow turns about the half-mile triangle.
“No, we must be prudent, else we can’t come again. I must go over
the premises, take a look at the carriage-house, and have a little
talk with Mrs. Jo before I go;” and, having deposited Dan on his