ut that charming little book, "The Crofton Boys," into his hands,
and left him for an hour, passing in and out from time to time that
he might not feel lonely. Dan did not love to read, but soon got so
interested that he was surprised when the boys came home. Daisy brought
him a nosegay of wild flowers, and Nan insisted on helping bring him his
supper, as he lay on the sofa with the door open into the dining-room,
so that he could see the lads at table, and they could nod socially to
him over their bread and butter.

Mr. Bhaer carried him away to his bed early, and Teddy came in his
night-gown to say good-night, for he went to his little nest with the
birds.

"I want to say my prayers to Danny; may I?" he asked; and when his
mother said, "Yes," the little fellow knelt down by Dan's bed, and
folding his chubby hands, said softly,

"Pease Dod bess everybody, and hep me to be dood."

Then he went away smiling with sleepy sweetness over his mother's
shoulder.

But after the evening talk was done, the evening song sung, and the
house grew still with beautiful Sunday silence, Dan lay in his pleasant
room wide awake, thinking new thoughts, feeling new hopes and desires
stirring in his boyish heart, for two good angels had entered in: love
and gratitude began the work which time and effort were to finish; and
with an earnest wish to keep his first promise, Dan folded his hands
together in the Darkness, and softly whispered Teddy's little prayer,

"Please God bless every one, and help me to be good."

CHAPTER XI. UNCLE TEDDY

For a week Dan only moved from bed to sofa; a long week and a hard one,
for the hurt foot was very painful at times, the quiet days were very
wearisome to the active lad, longing to be out enjoying the summer
weather, and especially difficult was it to be patient. But Dan did
his best, and every one helped him in their various ways; so the time
passed, and he was rewarded at last by hearing the doctor say, on
Saturday morning,

"This foot is doing better than I expected. Give the lad the crutch this
afternoon, and let him stump about the house a little."

"Hooray!" shouted Nat, and raced away to tell the other boys the good
news.

Everybody was very glad, and after dinner the whole flock assembled to
behold Dan crutch himself up and down the hall a few times before he
settled in the porch to hold a sort of levee. He was much pleased at the
interest and good-will shown him, and brightened u