"Wake up, Demi!" Jo said softly. "I need you to get up right now."
"I just went to bed," Demi said in a sleepy voice, "so it can't be morning yet."
"You're right, but your father is ill, and we must go to him," Jo said, beginning to sob. "My poor John!"
Suddenly Demi was aware that something was terribly wrong. No one ever called him John—a name he shared with his father. "Is Papa very sick?" he asked.
Jo swallowed hard and said, "We're going to say good-bye to him. Get dressed quickly, and come to my study. I must wake Daisy."
As he dressed, Demi sensed that his world was about to change. Daisy was soon ready, and the twins got into the carriage with Jo and the professor. All the way into town, Daisy and Demi held hands.
The next morning breakfast was a dismal meal without Jo at the table. When it was time for school, the professor's chair was empty too.
"What are we supposed to do today?" Jack asked in confusion.
"I don't feel like playing," Tommy said, and the others agreed.
"Let's try to do our lessons as usual," Dan suggested. "That'll make the day go faster and please the professor."
"But who will be the teacher?" Nan asked.
"I'll teach you about wolves and foxes," Dan said, "and then maybe you could read quietly while I take Teddy outside to play."
And that's what the children were doing when the professor returned home later in the morning. The children knew at once from his expression that John Brookes had died.
"Don't cry, Papa!" Rob said, running to his father.
"We've been doing our lessons!" Tommy said.
"Thank you, everyone." Mr. Bauer scooped Rob into his arms. "You've made a hard day easier. Unfortunately, I must return to town soon."
"When will Mama come home?" Rob asked.
"Tonight," the professor said, kissing his son. "Right now Aunt Meg needs her."
"Teddy's been crying for her, and he slapped Asia and was terribly naughty!" Rob reported, hoping that news would bring his mother home immediately. But it did not.
Professor Bauer left again, and for the rest of the day, the house was very still, like a Sunday. Nan and the boys spent their time walking, sitting in the willow tree, and tending to their pets. At dusk Jo and the professor returned home, but Demi and Daisy had stayed in town with their mother.
"Where's my baby?" an exhausted Jo said upon entering the house.
"Here!" Teddy cried. "My Danny took care of me all day, and I was good!"
Jo turned to thank Dan, but he was whispering to the others, "Don't bother her right now."
"No, children, please don't stay away from me," Jo said with a tired smile. "I've neglected you all day, so I'll rest with Teddy in my study, while you bring me my supper on a tray."
There was a general stampede into the dining room, where everyone fought for the honor of bringing Jo some food.
"Calm yourselves!" the professor said. "Half of you can bring her supper, while the rest can clear the dishes away."
Another mother might have found it annoying to have children upsetting cups and rattling spoons while they tried to be quiet. But that night Jo felt especially fond of the children, touched by their concern for her. Several of them lacked mothers or fathers or both, which made their efforts even more endearing.
When Jo's tray had been removed, Dan offered to put Teddy to bed.
"I wish I could do something helpful," Nat said with a sigh.
"You can, dear," said Jo. "Get your violin and play some of the sweet songs that Uncle Laurie sent last week."
As Jo listened, she fell asleep in her chair and forgot her sorrow for an hour.
A few days later, the children went into town for John Brookes' funeral. Everyone was there—Mr. and Mrs. March, Uncle Laurie and Aunt Amy, old Mr. Laurence, and a few friends. Mr. March conducted the simple service at Meg's house, and the boys did their part by singing a hymn.
That evening at Plumfield, everyone sat in the schoolroom, talking of John Brookes.
"He wasn't a rich man, was he?" Jack asked.
"No," Tommy said.
Jack was disappointed in Tommy's answer. "And he never did anything to boast about—he was just a good man?"
"That's right," the professor said. "He was just a good, honest man who loved his family and took care of everyone. He lived the best life of all, better than any rich or famous man."
When the twins returned to school, Demi seemed more serious and tackled his math assignments with gusto. This puzzled the professor because Demi had always hated math.
"I'm going to be a bookkeeper like my father," Demi explained one day.
Another day he said to Jo, "Papa told me to take care of my mother and the girls—what can I do to earn some money?"
"He didn't mean now," Jo said, ruffling her nephew's hair affectionately. But Demi looked so disappointed that she quickly added, "I'm sure we could pay you to rake leaves."
As time passed, Jo gave him more jobs. Demi was happy when he could provide a dollar each for his mother, Daisy, and baby Josy. He often said the words "my father" with gentle pride and announced that he wanted to be called John when he was older.