Cheering accounts soon began to come , and at length Dan was pronounced able to travel , but seemed in no haste to go home , though never tired of hearing his nurses talk of it . ` Dan is strangely altered , ' wrote Laurie to Jo ; ` not by this illness alone , but by something which has evidently gone before . I do n't know what , and leave you to ask ; but from his ravings when delirious I fear he has been in some serious trouble the past year . He seems ten years older , but improved , quieter , and so grateful to us . It is pathetic to see the hunger in his eyes as they rest on Ted , as if he could n't see enough of him . He says Kansas was a failure , but ca n't talk much ; so I bide my time . The people here love him very much , and he cares for that sort of thing now ; used to scorn any show of emotion , you know ; now he wants everyone to think well of him , and ca n't do enough to win affection and respect . I may be all wrong . You will soon find out . Ted is in clover , and the trip has done him a world of good . Let me take him to Europe when we go ? Apron-strings do n't agree with him any better than they did with me when I proposed to run away to Washington with you some century ago . Are n't you sorry you did n't ? ' This private letter set Mrs Jo 's lively fancy in a ferment , and she imagined every known crime , affliction , and complication which could possibly have befallen Dan . He was too feeble to be worried with questions now , but she promised herself most interesting revelations when she got him safe at home ; for the ` firebrand ' was her most interesting boy . She begged him to come , and spent more time in composing a letter that should bring him , than she did over the most thrilling episodes in her ` works ' . No one but Dan saw the letter ; but it did bring him , and one November day Mr Laurie helped a feeble man out of a carriage at the door of Plumfield , and Mother Bhaer received the wanderer like a recovered son ; while Ted , in a disreputable-looking hat and an astonishing pair of boots , performed a sort of war-dance round the interesting group . ` Right upstairs and rest ; I 'm nurse now , and this ghost must eat before he talks to anyone , ' commanded Mrs Jo , trying not to show how shocked she was at this shorn and shaven , gaunt and pallid shadow of the stalwart man she parted with . He was quite content to obey , and lay on the long lounge in the room prepared for him , looking about as tranquilly as a sick child restored to its own nursery and mother 's arms , while his new nurse fed and refreshed him , bravely controlling the questions that burned upon her tongue . Being weak and weary , he soon fell asleep ; and then she stole away to enjoy the society of the ` rascals ' , whom she scolded and petted , pumped and praised , to her heart 's content .
` XXXXX , I think Dan has committed some crime and suffered for it , ' said Mr Laurie , when Ted had departed to show his boots and tell glowing tales of the dangers and delights of the miners ' life to his mates .
Apron-strings Bhaer Dan Europe Jo Plumfield Ted firebrand ravings years