seen him. Mr Bhaer was just setting
off to find his lost son, when a telegram arrived, dated at one of the
way-stations on Mr Laurie's route:

Found Ted in the cars. Take him along. Write tomorrow.

T. LAURENCE

'Ted bolted sooner than you expected, mother. Never mind--uncle will
take good care of him, and Dan be very glad to see him,' said Rob, as
Mrs Jo sat, trying to realize that her youngest was actually on his way
to the wild West.

'Disobedient boy! He shall be severely punished, if I ever get him
again. Laurie winked at this prank; I know he did. Just like him.
Won't the two rascals have a splendid time? Wish I was with them! Don't
believe that crazy boy took even a night-gown with him, or an overcoat.
Well, there will be two patients for us to nurse when they get back, if
they ever do. Those reckless express trains always go down precipices,
and burn up, or telescope. 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 won'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