Oh ! my Ted , my precious boy , how can I let him go so far away from me ? ' And mother-like , Mrs Jo forgot the threatened chastisement in tender lamentations over the happy scapegrace , now whizzing across the continent in high feather at the success of his first revolt . Mr Laurie was much amused at his insisting that those words , ` when Ted bolts ' , put the idea into his head ; and therefore the responsibility rested upon his shoulders . He assumed it kindly from the moment he came upon the runaway asleep in a car , with no visible luggage but a bottle of wine for Dan and a blacking-brush for himself ; and as Mrs Jo suspected , the ` two rascals ' did have a splendid time . Penitent letters arrived in due season , and the irate parents soon forgot to chide in their anxiety about Dan , who was very ill , and did not know his friends for several days . Then he began to mend ; and everyone forgave the bad boy when he proudly reported that the first conscious words Dan said were : ` Hallo , Ted ! ' with a smile of pleasure at seeing a familiar face bent over him . ` Glad he went , and I wo n't scold any more . Now , what shall we put in the box for Dan ? ' And Mrs Jo worked off her impatience to get hold of the invalid by sending comforts enough for a hospital . 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 .
XXXXX is in clover , and the trip has done him a world of good .
Hallo Jo Kansas Laurie Ted days first ravings scapegrace years