Little Men (1998) Movie Script
Newspapers!
Look under here. Look.
Oh, but I must take that one
over there.
- It looks much fresher.
- Oh, yes.
- Come get your bread!
- Freshly baked!
That's the one.
Oh, look!
- How are you?
- Come get your bread!
Newspapers!
Get your Herald!
I'm telling ya. You keep it in your
pocket, things'll start going your way.
- You sure?
- Yeah, never fails.
A rabbit's foot?
- Whoa!
- Excuse me, sir.
Green belly. You hungry?
You gotta eat.
You've been starting yourself
ever since your pa died.
- How much do I owe ya?
- Three bits.
- Here is the poultry!
- Come and get it!
The finest in the marketplace!
- Carpets! Carpets!
- All colours!
All shapes and sizes!
The lowest prices!
- Where'd that come from?
- See? The old rabbit foot's working already.
- Stop them!
- Come on!
- Thief!
- Move!
Thief! Thief! Stop them!
Stop them!
Stop those boys!
Stop them! Thief!
Stop those boys!
Stop them!
Stop them!
My violin!
- End of the line!
- Pickpockets! Stop them!
- Oh, there's that...!
- All right!
- Give me my money!
- OK! All right! We'll handle it from here, sir!
- You'd better handle it!
- Give me my money!
I want my money!
Gentlemen! Gentlemen!
It's all right.
No one's going to hurt you.
Sergeant, may I ask what
- you'll be doing with the boy?
- We'll book him, and leave him
at the wayward house with
the rest of the street urchins.
Well, perhaps I have
an alternative.
My sister-in-law has a school.
It's a happy homelike place
for boys who need teaching
and care and
- a little bit of kindness.
- And discipline!
The year was 1871, and
the little women had grown
into wives and mothers,
passing the joys of childhood
onto others. Jo had married
Professor Bhaer,
and the two of them set up
a school at Plumfield,
the home Jo had inherited
from her aunt.
"Dearest Jo and Fritz, Nat
is a case after your own heart
"a motherless child,
Nat was raised in poverty.
"His father taught him
how to play the violin
"for spare pennies.
Only a few weeks ago,
"his father died, and the poor
lad has been homeless ever since.
"I think there's something
in him, and I have a fancy
that between us we may give
this little man a lift. With love, John."
Well, he thinks
he's full of potential;
He's just lost
everything he's ever known.
You're a good woman, Jo,
and with you tending
to his heart, he'll be fine.
Plumfield was
where John Brooke sent
his son and daughter, and this
was where he wanted Nat to go.
He knew his sister-in-law
would have a special place
in her heart for
the street urchin he'd rescued
at the market,
and provide the boy
the love and care
he desperately needed.
Go into the house, Nat.
Give Molly your letter.
She'll look after you.
Nat was worried,
for he had heard
that teachers gave raps
on the head
when lessons were not well done.
Oh, what surprises were in
store for the lad, as Plumfield
was unlike any school
he could have imagined.
Hello. Well,
you must be the new boy.
Come on in. That's it.
This is for Mrs. Bhaer.
Well, you just stand there
and warm up a bit
while I take this in to her.
Hello. Have you seen Aunt Jo?
Not yet.
Hello.
This is my sister, Daisy.
Mrs. Bhaer will see you now.
- I'll take him to her, Molly.
- Oh, thank you, Daisy.
Come.
Gotcha!
Here he is, Auntie!
Oh. So, this is my new boy.
I'm very glad you're here.
I hope you'll be happy with us.
I'm Jo. This is Fritz. Think of
us as Mother and Father Bhaer.
Welcome to Plumfield, my son.
There's a place all ready for you.
All we ask in return is honesty
and a willingness to learn.
The dinner bell.
Are you as hungry
as I am, lad?
I'll pull your ears off!
- It's a secret.
- Jack, give me my fork back!
- Sit down, Tommy.
- Molly, you and Jo have outdone
- yourselves with this meal.
- Settle down now.
Patience is a virtue.
Everyone...
- Everyone!
- Settle down, Jack.
This is our new boy.
Come on. Nat Blake.
- Hello.
- Hello, Nat.
- Hello, everyone.
- Please sit down.
This is our mischievous
little monkey, Tommy Bangs.
These are Mr. Brooke's children,
Daisy and Demi Brooke.
- Next to Daisy is George Cole.
- But you can call me Stuffy.
And the tall fellow there is
Franz. That is Mr. Bhaer's nephew.
He helps me teach, and
he's also a very good musician.
Are you a musician
yourself, Nat?
- That is Adolphus Pettingill.
- But we call him Dolly.
And there is Emil.
Ahoy, matey, and welcome
to the good ship Plumfield.
Ah, the commodore has
salt water in his veins.
Arr!
And that is Jack Ford.
You're gonna like it
here, Blake.
- Sure, he'll like it!
- And of course you've met
little Bhaer.
I know you're all hungry,
so I'll say grace.
Let us pray.
It is very meet, right,
and our bounden duty
that we should at all times
and in all places give thanks
unto thee, Holy Father,
almighty and everlasting God.
- Amen.
- Amen.
Amen.
- You may begin.
- Would you like soup, Daisy?
- Yes, please.
- Could I have some too, please?
You can all give Nat your
how-do-you-dos after supper.
- Hey! Who took my spoon?
- And gently, boys.
- Gently.
- May I have some bread?
What did Mr. Bhaer mean
when he said, "Gently"?
Because it's Saturday night.
Pillow fight!
Take that!
This isn't like other schools.
- Heads up, Nat!
- Ugh!
Go ahead.
Go on, Nat. Join in the fun.
Go on.
Hey, two pillows,
that's not fair!
Defend yourself, matey!
Or prepare to walk the plank!
Whop him one, Nat!
- Ah, as usual, our cup runneth over.
- Mm-hmm.
Will we make it through spring?
At least Nat's tuition is
covered by your brother-in-law.
Well, faith, hard work,
and a little help from above
will see us through.
- It always has.
- Hey! Ow!
- Hey, that's not fair!
- You care to join me?
I don't think so.
Ah, you old wet blanket, you.
- How much longer, Aunt Jo?
- You have 10 seconds, Demi.
Four, three, two,
one.
- Hey! Hey!
- Time is up.
Time is up.
Into bed, ragamuffins,
or pay the forfeit.
We have 15 minutes
and not a second longer.
What's the forfeit?
We lose our fun, Blake, as in
no pillow fight next Saturday night.
If Mrs. Bhaer cuts a dozen
slices of apple pie,
but only serves
three quarters of them,
how many slices are left?
Three quarters of 12...
- Yes, Stuffy?
- Serving nine slices leaves three.
- Good! Any questions?
- Oh, sir, me!
- Yes, Stuffy?
- When do we get to eat them?
- Tonight, I hope.
- That will be all for
this afternoon, fellows.
See you at dinner.
Please, don't stop.
But we would like to hear
you play something, Nat.
I don't know how
to play the recorder.
Well
what about
this?
I've had it for years.
It's a family heirloom.
How can I thank you?
By playing something.
- Woo-hoo!
- Yee-haw!
- Yahoo!
- Woo!
Yeah!
Woo-hoo!
Yee-haw!
Woo-hoo!
- Bravo, Nat!
- Bravo! Well done, my son!
- Well done!
- Well done, Nat.
- You were a street musician?
- Uh-huh.
I'd fiddle while my friend Dan
did tricks.
Can you make much money
that way?
- It sounds tin-potty to me.
- Supply and demand, Nat.
That's the key
to a successful enterprise.
Down at the creek,
I can earn 5 cents a can
- selling worms to fishermen.
- Dan and me,
we made tonnes of money.
Had tonnes of fun too,
playing all over Boston. We drew
huge crowds
wherever we performed.
Huge crowds?
Tonnes of money?
We know you want to fit in
and be well liked.
We want that too.
Perhaps to you it was
only a little white lie.
- I wasn't lying.
- Then shall we say stretching the truth?
Nat, Mr. Bhaer and I
like having poor boys
come live with us.
What we don't like is having
them tell misleading tales.
What if your story prompted
someone to run away?
You know the reality
of how hard life is out there.
There are lessons to learn
in some ways, far more important
than any taught in school,
like being honest,
or being good.
Being good?
And loving to be good.
Come here.
I want to show you something.
This is one of the ways
I try to help. I call this
my Conscience Book.
- There's Tommy's name!
- Mm-hmm.
I have a page for each boy.
I keep a little account
of how he gets on each week,
and then on Sunday nights,
I show him my notes.
There's my name!
Only you and I will know what is
to be written beneath your name.
Vinyl nightgowns were
unknown comforts in Nat's world,
and the feeling
that somebody cared for him
made that plain room seem like
heaven to the homeless child.
Yet he wondered what
adventures his friend Dan had lived
since that fateful day
in the market when the two
boys were separated.
Arr! There y'are,
ya scurvy dog!
My eggs!
Look what you did!
Weren't you looking
where you were walking?
Do you know how much
this is gonna cost me?
What's the problem here, fellas?
He ran into me
and broke my eggs!
Did not, Tommy!
He bumped into me
and dropped them.
Nat, the truth.
- I didn't even touch him.
- He... he tripped.
- It's not his fault, Mr. Bhaer.
- We were just playing.
Come with me, young man.
Yes, sir.
When I was a little lad,
I would tend to lie too, Nat.
A lie is a lie.
And although we all tell
many polite untruths
in this queer world of ours,
it is not right,
and everybody knows it.
My dear old grandmother cured me
of it, though.
Can you guess how?
To this day, I can still
hear her voice saying,
"I will help you
to watch your tongue
by putting a check
on the unruly part."
And with that,
she drew it from my mouth,
and snipped the end
with scissors
till blood ran.
Oh, that was terrible,
you may believe.
But it did me much good,
because my tongue was
sore for days, and every word
I spoke came out so slowly
that I had time... to think.
But I prefer to do things
differently.
Come.
- He's coming down hard on him.
- It's all my fault.
I shouldn't have gotten
so upset.
You should have thought
of that before, Bangs.
I'm ready for you to strike me.
Quite the contrary, my lad.
It is you who will ferrule me.
What?
Perhaps by giving pain
instead of receiving it,
you will learn to
hold your tongue
and always tell the truth.
But I can't hurt you.
Lying hurts us all, Nat.
Use the ruler.
Don't make me do this.
Now, lad!
Give me six good strokes!
Please, I can't.
You can. You will!
Obey me!
Now again!
Harder!
Please, is that enough?
No! Two more!
I'll never, ever do it again.
I'll never tell lies
to anyone, ever.
I believe you, my son.
Still friends?
I hope so.
There's more where these
came from. Wanna see?
Yeah.
This is it.
My hens lay them.
Mrs. Bhaer buys them,
5 cents a dozen.
We could be partners!
Uh, sure.
We could split the profits.
OK.
Look! I got one!
After weeks of searching,
Dan had finally discovered
where his friend was taken.
He knew nothing about this
strange place called Plumfield,
but the streets of Boston
prepared a lad
for just about anything.
- Psst! Nat.
- Dan! What are you doing here?
It's really good to see you.
- It's good to see you too.
- How'd you find this place?
Asked around, got directions.
Reckoned I'd give Plumfield
a try myself.
- You mean you want to stay?
- You want me to, don'tcha?
Of course I do, but... it's not
up to me; It's up to the Bhaers.
- The bears? - Yeah, Fritz and Jo.
- Steady now, lad.
- Down we go.
- There's Jo now.
Come on, let's go see her.
Charlie, get down! No!
Hold still! Hold still, Charlie!
Come on down!
Down!
All right.
Forget about that one,
Mrs. Bhaer.
- He's untameable.
- Thank you, Silas.
I do appreciate your trying.
Mrs. Bhaer?
This is Dan.
- Well, hello, Dan.
- Mrs. Bhaer.
- He's my friend from Boston.
- Well, then, we shall have
to make sure that he has
a pleasant visit.
Oh, it isn't a visit;
He wants to stay
if you'll let him.
It's not as simple as that, Nat.
But I thought you liked
helping poor boys.
Mr. Bhaer is not home right now.
We will settle this matter
when he returns.
In the meantime,
why don't you show Dan around?
Yes, ma'am.
Come on. Some of the fellas
are in the barn.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Let's have a big hand
for Tommy the Chimp
and the Amazing Toby!
Hey, everyone!
This is my friend Dan.
Penny each, 2 cents total!
Uh, he's company.
I'll pay for both. There you go.
Come on.
And welcome, gents,
to the amazing big top.
And now for your enjoyment, Tommy
the Chimp will turn a death-defying flip
off the back
of a galloping stallion!
Yay! Yay! Yay!
You call that a flip?
Think you could do better?
Hold these.
- Whoa! - Wow!
- Wow!
- By George!
- A round of applause!
- How'd you do that?
- It's easy. You could do it.
- There's just one thing you gotta know how to do.
- What?
What'll you give me
if I tell ya?
- It's nearly brand new.
- It's got five blades,
and only one's broken.
Keep it up
till you learn, that's all.
Hey, that's not fair!
- You want the knife back?
- I'll play ya for it.
Stick knife.
Dan.
- I'll play.
- Take your shoes and socks off,
spread your legs
a few feet apart.
You can only move
your right foot.
First one
who chickens out loses.
Bet you two bits
Bang is the quitter.
Why don't you
just steal my money?
No bending allowed.
Nat.
Why don't you bring your friend
into the house?
Mr. Bhaer is home now.
- Y-Yes, ma'am.
- I'll be right there.
Keep it, Tom.
Ain't gonna risk getting cut
with no rusty blade.
How old are you, Danny?
Fourteen. And it's Dan.
You look younger.
Do you have any relatives? Any
friends that can help take care of you?
- No.
- Say,
- "No, ma'am."
- No, ma'am.
To tell the truth, Dan,
our boys are sent to us
by their parents.
Or they come to us
through referrals
or sponsors. We like to know as
much as we can before we admit them.
We have no choice
but to pick and choose.
Dan could have my bed, sir,
and I could sleep in the barn.
I used to sleep almost anywhere
with my father.
Uh, would you boys, uh,
leave us alone for a minute
while Mrs. Bhaer and I
- discuss the matter?
- Yes, sir.
- Oh, a ball.
- Where'd that come from?
- Hey, that's mine!
- Is this your ball, Teddy?
- Want it, Teddy?
- Hey!
- Ah, look what I got.
- Jo, we simply cannot take
another boy.
We do not have the money.
- Give it back!
- No. Haha!
Look what I got.
Let's go, Jack.
- Hello there.
- Hello.
- Wanna see something?
- We cannot...
Blow on it.
- Where'd it go?
- I don't know.
Hey, what's that?
There you go.
Nat.
I think we should be able
to find room for Dan
without you having to give up your bed.
Why don't you show him the wash closet
and help him
to find some fresh clothing?
- Thank you, Mrs. Bhaer.
- Thanks, ma'am.
Thank you, sir.
Just remember, Dan,
no fighting, no lying,
and no stealing.
If you don't behave,
they won't let you stay.
Come on, Nat. You really think people like
them give a hoot about paupers like us?
I know they do.
Well, maybe the lady,
but you saw the look
on the old man's mug.
- He figures he's got me pegged.
- Then prove him wrong.
We hardly know
anything about him.
We know that he is in need.
He has a mind, Fritz;
A heart and a soul
like everyone else.
Oh, and there is goodness
in him.
You saw how he was with Teddy.
Yes, I saw.
I wonder if he has
any other tricks up his sleeve.
I just hope your experiment
works out well.
- Hey, Emil, look at this.
- What is it?
It's a book on snakes.
Great bunch of fellows, huh?
We don't get boa constrictors
around here.
Great bunch of green bellies.
You probably saw a garden snake.
Good morning.
You hungry?
Why don't you help me
whip up a few griddlecakes?
Can you pass me
the flour, please?
It's the one nearest the lamp.
He can't read.
Sorry, Mrs. Bhaer.
I think it is Dan
to whom you owe an apology.
Please, Dan, accept my apology?
Ain't no rabbits in these woods.
Sure there are!
So, Dan,
Nat said you fellows had
some great times
- out in the street of Boston.
- Is that what he said?
Yeah. Made out like bandits.
He was right.
No, I wasn't.
- It's pure freedom.
- You live by your wits, boys,
and your fists,
just like when you go to sea.
Wouldn't hurt you, Emil,
to learn some boxing.
Never know what you'll be up
against upon one of them whalers.
- Boxing?
- Yeah, sure.
I'd be glad to give you
some pointers.
Of course, if you don't think
you're man enough...
I'm man enough.
- What do you say, Emil?
- Tonight?
Sure.
- How are you, Molly?
- Oh, grand, sir, just grand.
Will you kindly tell my sister
that we're here, Molly?
- Right away, Mum.
- Thank you.
- Oh, hello, Mr. and Mrs. Brooke.
- Nat, how are you doing, boy?
- Very well, sir.
- Good, good, good, good.
Thank you, sir.
For everything.
Ma'am.
- Father!
- Mother!
Meg! Hello.
- John, thanks for coming.
- Wonderful to see you. - Nice to see you.
- Oh, you too, Jo.
- Hello, Meg.
Hello, Fritz.
Spot of elderberry wine
to take the chill out?
- That would be delightful, yes.
- Come with me, Meg. - Thank you.
So, pumpkin, tell me,
how are things going?
- Very well.
- How is he feeling, Meg?
- Oh, he has his good days.
- - I'm reading a book on Greenland.
- Greenland?
- Oh, that's interesting.
Yes, many special
projects this year.
- Are you all right?
- I'm fine.
Congratulations! Wonderful.
Beginning to like it here?
It'll do.
Thank you.
I have some unfortunate news.
Victoria Harding passed away.
- Oh, dear.
- How is young Nan taking it?
Very poorly, I'm afraid.
She misses her mother terribly.
But Nat seems
to be adjusting well.
He is fitting in beautifully.
Far from the withdrawn youth
he was when he first came here.
Indeed.
Shh! Come on.
Your sister's after me
to give up this thing.
John,
we've admitted a friend of Nat's
to Plumfield.
Oh. Who's sponsoring the boy?
Um... no one, actually.
No one?
A non-revenue?
But I was under the impression
that the well was running dry.
Yes, it is.
Um... it is one of the concerns
we wanted to discuss with you.
Very well then.
Tell me about the boy.
- Well, at heart he is...
- a thoughtful,
kind, and well-mannered boy.
That's OK. It's OK.
- Slap him back.
- Come on,
- knock his block off!
- Keep your fists up.
Don't want a scrapper getting
your face with a whack like that.
- Come on! Yeah, go, go!
- Keep moving!
Guard your gut, your head!
Hit him! Come on!
Ooh! Oh!
- Think you got the hang of it?
- Wanna try laying one on me?
Emil? Or is it Emily?
Oh!
- You swung too wide, too broad.
- It's all right. Get back in there.
Try aiming directly
for the face, the belly.
Think straight lines.
Try again! Come on,
hit him hard!
What's going on in here?
- Ooh!
- Aw!
Hey! Now you're gonna get it!
- Break it up!
- That's enough, boys!
That's enough!
The last fella
who did that to me
was left pushing up daisies
at Gettysburg!
Hm. Pardon me.
Yes?
Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Bhaer.
Thought you should see this.
Excuse me. Something, uh
has come up.
I walked in on them
- having a row.
- A row?
It was boxing, and I was
showing him some moves.
Another one of your many
hidden talents, Dan, along with
tumbling and magic tricks,
sticking knives.
Oh, you didn't think I knew about
your little contest, did you? It's my job
to know everything around here.
Were you aware
that pugilism is
strictly forbidden?
Fist fighting.
Yeah, I was aware, sir.
Then why deliberately ignore
the rule?
They'll all be mollycoddles
if they don't know how to fight.
It was I,
sir. I asked him to teach me.
He'll make
a first-rate boxer, too;
He's got the guts.
Let me
tell you something, my friends.
The measure of a good man
is not his ability to do damage
with his fists; Rather,
it is his ability
to express compassion.
Fritz?
You'd best go into the parlour.
John's there. Go on.
I'll tend to the lads.
Silas.
You're too dang soft
on them boys, Mrs. Bhaer -
every last one of them.
A good whipping's
what they need.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Bhaer.
I guess my temper got
the better of me.
- That's quite a shiner you've got there, Commodore.
- Thanks.
It wasn't a compliment.
Now, let's have a look
at the tough fellow.
Oh, I see. It's not pain
you're afraid of, is it?
I ain't afraid of nothin'.
Did you and Mr. Bhaer have
a nice chat?
I thought he was gonna
give us both a whippin'.
We don't give whippings
here, Dan.
My husband is
a compassionate man.
Do you want to stay
at Plumfield?
Then I'll make you a deal.
You follow the rules,
then you stay.
But if you continue
to break them,
you will be sent away.
M-Mrs. Bhaer?
Yes?
W-What's compassion?
Is everything all right
out there?
Just a few of the boys who
needed help with their lessons.
Always thinking the best
of people.
I beg your pardon?
It's one of the things, Jo,
I love most about you.
Are you patronizing me?
Never.
He's come a very long way
in a very short time.
I've seen how well
the younger boys relate to him.
Mmm. And I've seen how well
he manipulates the older ones.
I grant you, there are
two sides to every coin.
But, to my mind,
there is a real question
on which side this one
will land.
Ah. I must be going.
My train leaves in an hour.
Good boy, Jake.
I'd wish you luck
delivering your lecture,
but I know you won't need it.
What takes luck is coaxing
the society members
to open their wallets.
I haven't given up
on the boy, Jo;
Far from it.
Have a safe journey.
All right, Silas.
Nine times 12 equals 108.
Ten times 12 equals 120.
Good. So,
if you need 60 cents
to buy 12 chickens
at the market, how many cents
would you need to buy only one?
- Dan?
- Yeah?
Sixty cents for 12 chickens
at the market.
How much for one?
Zero.
- What?
- Really?
How so?
Just grab the clucker and run.
Does anybody know
the correct answer?
Hey, Dan.
Wanna try your luck?
I bet the only
fishing he knows how to do
is for wallets.
I can out-fish you
any day of the week, Jack.
Nat, you awake?
- I got a great idea.
- Yeah, me too:
Let's go back to sleep.
How'd you like to play
a few hands of poker?
There's no cards here; Mr. and
Mrs. Bhaer don't allow it.
Papa Bear ain't home,
and Mama's long asleep.
Where'd those come from?
What's going on?
- Five-card draw, Jack.
- Wanna play?
- Yeah!
- Shh!
- Wanna wake the whole house?
- Sorry.
Bring that lamp
and pull up a chair.
- What are you fellas doing?
- Little game of chance. You in?
- No. - I am!
- Shh!
Come on, Nat.
It'll be like old times.
I'd hate to think what would
happen if we got caught.
Who's gonna catch us?
- Now what are you doing?
- It's cold out there!
So stay under the covers, boy,
'cause we're playing like men.
Who you calling a boy?
A little beer.
Or some cigars?
Are you trying
to get us all sent away?
Will you quit
being such a scaredy?
Oh, been too long
since I've had one of these.
Damn, that's good.
- You shouldn't say that.
- Swearing's bad.
Just puff on it, Tommy,
and then pass it to Jack.
Yeah, Bangs. Just puff on it.
- I like it!
- Here, a swig of this'll cool your throat.
That's good too - damn good!
Poker's the game,
five-card draw.
Aces and jokers are wild.
Jack, you're a betting man.
You wanna open?
Open, right.
How much should I bet?
Shh! Someone's coming.
Hello, Demi. What's wrong?
I thought I smelt... smoke.
- Not in here.
- Uh, were you dreaming?
- Maybe I should get Molly.
- No.
No!
Everyone, straighten up
and get back in bed.
The window's open. It's just
smoke from the chimney.
Why don't you go on
back to bed? Hmm?
- That was close.
- Yeah.
I think we should
call it a night.
- Goodnight.
- 'Night.
Fire!
Fiiiiire!
Everybody out of the house!
Fire! Everybody out!
Fire!
Wake up! Wake up! Wake up,
everybody!
Wake up! Fire!
- Wake up!
- Ahhhhh!
There! Out of the house, boys!
- Come on!
- Ahhhh!
Tommy! Tommy! You're gonna
be OK. You're gonna be OK.
Calm down.
Molly, go find Daisy!
You boys get outside!
Go outside and fetch water!
Fresh air! He needs fresh air!
Franz, make sure there's nobody
in there! And fetch some water!
Hurry!
Silas, over here.
Silas, the curtains!
- Well done, Dan.
- And thank you, Silas.
Thank God it didn't
go out of this room.
Oh! I brought wet blankets,
Mrs. Bhaer.
Oh, thank you, Molly,
but I think it's over.
Oh, Mrs. Bhaer, I'm so sorry.
What ever are you
apologizing for, Molly?
Well, Demi came to my room
saying he smelt smoke,
and... I thought
it must have been
- something outside.
- Oh, please!
Don't blame this
on yourself, dear.
- Maybe it was a spark from the lamp.
- Kerosene lamps
don't spark, Dan.
Boys
did something go on
in here tonight?
- There...
- It hurts.
Tommy, poor love.
Make it stop.
Poor lad.
Make it stop.
- That's what we're doing here.
- You're going to be just fine.
Whoa, boy.
I wish I could
make it right, sir.
Um... I'm very sorry.
It was a stupid mistake;
One that I'll never make again.
What are you gonna do with us?
The scars you'll be
living with, Tommy, are
punishment enough.
What about you?
Sorry.
Just as I thought.
All right.
All of you boys can leave now.
All but Dan.
Smoking
and gambling.
How many more rules
can you arrange to have broken?
I found this
beneath the bedroom window.
We cannot have you endangering
our students any longer, Dan,
with your flagrant disregard
of regulations.
So we're sending you away.
To a nice place
run by Mr. Page, a good fellow
who does very well
with troubled youths.
Is there something
you want to say to us?
N-No.
I mean no, ma'am.
I reckon not.
Remember what I told you
about people like them?
You could have asked
for just one more chance.
They're sending me to some place
in the country
for troubled youths.
You might like it.
I ain't gonna stay if I don't.
Where would you go?
Maybe head out west,
take a look at California.
Or maybe go to sea,
have some real adventures.
Whoa.
Dan!
Might need this.
Not me, friend.
Not me.
Hey.
I'm sorry. I'll go away
if you want me to leave.
Oh, no. No, no,
no one's sending you away.
No.
He's the first.
The first boy
we ever failed with.
There is the making
of a fine young man in him.
In spite of his faults.
I hope so.
Your faith deserves success.
Jo had a surprise
in store for Nat.
She long had thought the
boys would be all the better
with another girl among them,
so she invited naughty Nan
- into their midst.
- She's here!
The girl had been running wild since
her mother died, and her father rejoiced
when Jo offered to make
a place for her at Plumfield.
Hello!
Whoa, boys.
Come along, my child. Come.
Come and meet
your new friends. Ah.
Nat, Tommy,
this is Nan Harding. She'll be
spending the fall with us.
And perhaps if she likes it
enough, she'll stay.
This is Daisy. Perhaps you can
do an activity together.
Later we can have tea
while the boys play baseball.
Oh, joy.
Come on in.
- Thank you, Silas.
- All right, boys,
- are we ready for the game?
- Yes, sir.
- OK, boys, next batter!
- Come on, Stuffy! - Come on, Stuffy!
- You can do it!
- Stuffy, watch the ball!
Watch the ball, Stuffy! Come on!
- You can do it!
- Concentrate!
- Get ready! Here comes the pitch!
- Keep your eye on the ball,
- Stuffy!
- Oh! Strike one!
Come on, Stuffy!
- Here comes the pitch. Keep your eye on the ball!
- Hit it out, Stuffy!
Come on, Stuffy!
Tea?
- Run! Run!
- Safe!
Yeah, sure.
- One man out and one on first!
- Next batter!
- OK, Nat, your turn. Go!
- OK, Nat, you can do it.
- Silas taught them how to play.
- That's nice.
- I know you can!
- Come on!
- Franz, strike him out!
- Go, Nat! Yeah!
- Strike one!
- Aw, it's OK...
- It was right over the plate!
- You should a beaned it!
- That's OK, Nat. Next one.
- Come on, Nat!
- Hit it out of the park! Come on, Nat!
- Concentrate!
- Yeah, get ready.
- Strike two!
- Come on!
- You could a clobbered it!
OK, Nat!
- Hit it out of the field!
- Yeah, hit it out of the field!
- Strike three. Two men out and one on first.
- Why did you swing
at that one?
He was throwin' at the birds!
- You think you can do better?
- Darn tootin'.
OK, Miss Smarty,
let's see what you can do.
- All right!
- Ho, ho.
Come on, guys, move in!
Tommy, go to the right a bit.
Wow! Look at that!
Run! Run, Nan! Run!
Come on, Stuffy! Come on!
Fat guy, get out of my way!
- Great! Run, run, run!
- Throw it! Throw it!
- Come on into home!
- Safe!
What a play!
Like one of the fellows!
She is so much like me
when I was
- a child.
- Oh, that I had known you then!
Come on.
OK, Mr. Smarty.
Now, what can YOU do?
Play violin?
May I help you with those, Nan?
If you want.
It seems Nan's presence has
already had a positive effect
on the lads.
- Yes, I know.
- Uh, a messenger brought this, Mum.
Oh, thank you, Molly.
What is it, Jo?
It's from Mr. Page.
Dan's run away.
Gone without a trace.
He's gone?
I'll bet he's halfway
to California by now,
catchin' a ride
on a Mississippi riverboat,
playin' five-card draw,
and puffin' on a stogie.
No riverboat's
big enough for Dan.
He's somewhere in the North
Atlantic. First mate
- on a Boston whaler.
- Listen to yourselves.
Dan nearly got us all
kicked out.
- I don't know.
- I kinda miss him.
- Miss what, Bangs?
- Getting burned?
Stinker was nothin' but trouble.
Sorry, Nat.
Hey.
What's the matter with you?
They can say whatever
they want, but I know the truth.
He was always there
when I needed him.
He's just a boy. Half of them
are gibin' good riddance,
and the other half are mopin' like
the milk wagon squished their dog.
We should do something
to take their minds off it.
Like what?
I know!
What's this?
"Miss Daisy Brooke
and Miss Anthea Harding
"request the pleasure
"of your company at their ball
in the barn Friday
- evening at 7."
- "Nat must bring his fiddle
so we can dance."
What does this mean?
"Formal attire?"
It means we dress up.
I just hope I look
half as pretty as the girls
- we've invited from town.
- Oh, I'll let you in on a secret:
- You're gonna be prettier.
- Oh, thank you, Auntie Jo.
Here, try some of this.
Oh! A bit, girl, not a bucket!
Excuse me, kind sir, but would
you think it too forward
if this lady asked you to dance?
Yes.
Come here.
- Would you like to dance?
- Oh, why, thank you, Mr. Bhaer.
Gentlemen,
the ladies are waiting.
That one.
Somebody?
Dance?
- Silas.
- Me?
- Do you want to give it a whirl?
- No, thanks.
Certainly.
There you are, little Bhaer.
What are you looking at?
Danny.
Oh, no.
I think it's just a reflection
from the moon.
He was there. I saw him.
Dan?
I was going off come morning.
Just thought I'd peek in
as I went by.
Why didn't you come inside?
Didn't suppose you'd let me.
You just try and see.
Let's take you inside,
take care of that foot of yours.
Come on, sweetie.
There you go.
There you go.
He's sleeping.
With rest and proper care,
he should be good as new
by Christmas.
Well, that's good.
When he's able, we will make
other arrangements for him.
What kind of arrangements?
- Why, someplace else to send him, of course.
- He's staying...
Someplace that's better for him.
Someplace that is better for him!
The lad is completely
malnourished,
his ankle badly sprained.
We sent him away once
and it nearly
destroyed him, Fritz.
I will not
take that chance again.
And what about Plumfield, Jo?
Shall we take
another chance
on him destroying it?
Hello, Dan!
Hello!
Come on.
This is my new friend, Nan.
- Hello.
- Hello.
What happened?
I didn't like it at Page's.
He was good enough,
just too dang strict.
So I cut away, downriver
with a guy in a boat.
When I left him, I was doing
fine, until I slipped
climbing over a stone wall.
Hello, Thomas.
Hello, Tommy! Come on in!
Good to see you too.
- Can't catch me!
- Oh, yes, I can!
Dan.
I thought as long as you're
here, we could use the time wisely.
Shall we work on your reading?
I picked this up this morning
while I was in town.
It's a book on natural history.
You'll recognize
some of the animals.
Some of the words are
quite hard, but together we can
master them. "Orangutan."
That's difficult.
Eight... nine
ten... eleven
twelve. That is
quite the bounty, Thomas.
Well done.
Thank you, Mrs. Bhaer,
and thank you, chickies.
Dan! Dan!
I was afraid you ran away again.
Would it have mattered?
You ain't been acting like it.
What's that supposed to mean?
You fit right in
with Tommy and the rest
of the green bellies.
You even got yourself a girly.
Nan?
You don't need me anymore.
Nobody in this rat hole does.
Have you been crying?
Nothing makes me cry!
You hear me? Nothing and nobody!
So you'd better stay
away from me,
or you'll be the one
that's crying.
- There you are, Nat.
- Business is booming!
What got his goat?
- He stole it!
- I did not.
- Liar! You were the only one who knew where it was!
- Fellows.
- You've lied before, Nat, and you're lying again.
- That's enough.
What's happening?
Nat stole Tommy's egg money.
Now, my son,
give me an honest answer.
Did you take his money?
No, sir.
He was right there
in the barn, Mr. Bhaer,
- looking guilty as sin!
- Is that true?
Yes, sir, except I didn't do it.
Then what was the matter?
Something between me and Dan.
Nat...
I'm very sorry,
but the evidences are
against you.
But mind, I do not charge you
with this theft,
shall not punish you for it
until I am
perfectly sure,
nor ask you about it again.
But if you are innocent, my son,
the truth will become clear
sooner or later.
And the instant it does,
I will be the first to beg
your pardon for doubting you.
Now then,
I have a class to teach.
All right, all right, come in!
- Let's get started.
- He's guilty.
What do you expect
from a street urchin?
It's the way they live.
- Fritz, I refuse to believe it.
- It's simply not like him.
To do what, Jo?
To lie, or to go
where his friend leads him?
Oh, I see. It's come down
to Dan again, has it?
Who needs this place anyway?
He didn't do it.
- How do you know, Dan?
- Because I stole Tommy's money.
Where is the money now?
Gambled it away to some
fishermen down the creek.
Sometimes you win,
sometimes you lose.
We'll give you a week, Dan,
to regain your strength.
By then,
we will have found
a suitable place to send you.
Thank you.
You're being too good a man
to say, "I told you so."
Maybe you can return this
to where you bought it,
and help pay Tommy back
some of his money.
Keep it.
Where are you going, Dan?
Someplace better for me.
Come inside first.
Please, Dan?
Nat.
Assemble the others.
Tell them I want them down here.
- Fritz.
- Yes? Ah.
All right, come.
Come on.
There is one among you missing.
Jack went home
early this morning,
but he left behind this note.
"I took Tommy's money."
- What? Jack?
- Jack?
"I peeked in on him
at the barn one afternoon
"and saw where he hid it.
"I thought Dan
"would be blamed, but not Nat.
"When I saw the way Dan
"stood up for him, I started
feeling guilty. I just
"can't take it any longer.
"I am awfully sorry.
"I am going home and don't know.
If I will ever come back."
Signed, "Jack."
If he returns,
we will accept him
and hopefully forgive him.
- So, what now?
- Am I supposed to say
I'm sorry for lying?
No, dear. It was a kind lie,
and I can't help forgiving it.
But it is never right
to tell lies,
even for a friend.
It was an act of true valour.
Though finally vindicated,
Dan's emotions,
too long kept within...
- Dan?
- Needed to burst out somehow.
What's his problem?
So easy for all of you
to believe it was one of us.
Dan!
A daring fancy took possession
of the boy, and never thinking
of the danger,
he obeyed his impulse.
Dan!
You think you're tough,
Charlie? You ain't so tough!
Come on!
He's trying to ride Charlie!
Dan, what are you doing?
Come on!
Dan, get down from that animal!
- What is that fool boy doing now?
- Dan!
Come on!
- Come on!
- Just get down!
Watch out, Dan!
- The horse is gonna... - Dan, no!
- Get off!
- Get off the horse, Dan!
- Get off it!
- Get down!
- Get off the horse!
- Dan!
- Stop it, Dan!
Dan...
- Come on, get off!
- Dan!
- He's doing it!
- He's tamed the horse!
He tamed it!
- Incredible!
- That was amazing!
Good boy.
Yay!
- Yes, Dan!
- All right, Dan!
- All right, Dan!
- Yeah, Dan!
Well done!
Dan.
Christmas season is
almost upon us, my son. Come.
Come with your family.
Come home with us.
Come home.
Woo!
Looks like a wonderful
collection.
Plenty to go around.
- But they're all broken.
- With a little
care and hard work,
they soon won't be.
One of the greatest gifts is
the gift of charity.
That's why every year at
Plumfield, we collect old toys,
mend them, paint them,
and give them to poor children
in the neighbourhood.
Children not as fortunate as us.
That's right, Dan.
Are you all right, sir?
Yes, I'm fine, son.
Just a seasonal cold, that's...
John?
Can I get you something, John?
Perhaps a spot
of elderberry wine?
That's all right.
Meg.
John!
Daddy!
I also lost my father.
Nat and Dan watched
the carriage take away the man
who had in one moment
changed their lives.
Come along in now.
John Brooke,
devoted to helping others,
never asked anything
for himself, but bore
his own burden
bravely and quietly.
Oh, come on in, Daisy dear.
Mrs. Brooke. Let me take
your coat.
For John,
this was always the time of year
to give from the heart,
and to receive.
This was always the merriest
time of year for him.
He'd want us
to keep it that way.
That's nice work, Dan.
Now, let's see what we can do
about the driver.
Well... I have all the parts,
so it won't be that difficult.
But the horse...
That'll be hard.
Timber!
This is for you.
- Thank you, sir.
- Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Merry Christmas!
- Merry Christmas, Jo.
- Merry Christmas.
Jo and her husband
stood together for a moment,
feeling that their autumn work
had been done well.
For love is a flower
that grows in any soil,
works its sweet miracles
undaunted by fall frost or winter snow,
blooming fair and fragrant
all the year,
and blessing those who give
and those who receive.
Closed Captioning by SETTE inc.
Look under here. Look.
Oh, but I must take that one
over there.
- It looks much fresher.
- Oh, yes.
- Come get your bread!
- Freshly baked!
That's the one.
Oh, look!
- How are you?
- Come get your bread!
Newspapers!
Get your Herald!
I'm telling ya. You keep it in your
pocket, things'll start going your way.
- You sure?
- Yeah, never fails.
A rabbit's foot?
- Whoa!
- Excuse me, sir.
Green belly. You hungry?
You gotta eat.
You've been starting yourself
ever since your pa died.
- How much do I owe ya?
- Three bits.
- Here is the poultry!
- Come and get it!
The finest in the marketplace!
- Carpets! Carpets!
- All colours!
All shapes and sizes!
The lowest prices!
- Where'd that come from?
- See? The old rabbit foot's working already.
- Stop them!
- Come on!
- Thief!
- Move!
Thief! Thief! Stop them!
Stop them!
Stop those boys!
Stop them! Thief!
Stop those boys!
Stop them!
Stop them!
My violin!
- End of the line!
- Pickpockets! Stop them!
- Oh, there's that...!
- All right!
- Give me my money!
- OK! All right! We'll handle it from here, sir!
- You'd better handle it!
- Give me my money!
I want my money!
Gentlemen! Gentlemen!
It's all right.
No one's going to hurt you.
Sergeant, may I ask what
- you'll be doing with the boy?
- We'll book him, and leave him
at the wayward house with
the rest of the street urchins.
Well, perhaps I have
an alternative.
My sister-in-law has a school.
It's a happy homelike place
for boys who need teaching
and care and
- a little bit of kindness.
- And discipline!
The year was 1871, and
the little women had grown
into wives and mothers,
passing the joys of childhood
onto others. Jo had married
Professor Bhaer,
and the two of them set up
a school at Plumfield,
the home Jo had inherited
from her aunt.
"Dearest Jo and Fritz, Nat
is a case after your own heart
"a motherless child,
Nat was raised in poverty.
"His father taught him
how to play the violin
"for spare pennies.
Only a few weeks ago,
"his father died, and the poor
lad has been homeless ever since.
"I think there's something
in him, and I have a fancy
that between us we may give
this little man a lift. With love, John."
Well, he thinks
he's full of potential;
He's just lost
everything he's ever known.
You're a good woman, Jo,
and with you tending
to his heart, he'll be fine.
Plumfield was
where John Brooke sent
his son and daughter, and this
was where he wanted Nat to go.
He knew his sister-in-law
would have a special place
in her heart for
the street urchin he'd rescued
at the market,
and provide the boy
the love and care
he desperately needed.
Go into the house, Nat.
Give Molly your letter.
She'll look after you.
Nat was worried,
for he had heard
that teachers gave raps
on the head
when lessons were not well done.
Oh, what surprises were in
store for the lad, as Plumfield
was unlike any school
he could have imagined.
Hello. Well,
you must be the new boy.
Come on in. That's it.
This is for Mrs. Bhaer.
Well, you just stand there
and warm up a bit
while I take this in to her.
Hello. Have you seen Aunt Jo?
Not yet.
Hello.
This is my sister, Daisy.
Mrs. Bhaer will see you now.
- I'll take him to her, Molly.
- Oh, thank you, Daisy.
Come.
Gotcha!
Here he is, Auntie!
Oh. So, this is my new boy.
I'm very glad you're here.
I hope you'll be happy with us.
I'm Jo. This is Fritz. Think of
us as Mother and Father Bhaer.
Welcome to Plumfield, my son.
There's a place all ready for you.
All we ask in return is honesty
and a willingness to learn.
The dinner bell.
Are you as hungry
as I am, lad?
I'll pull your ears off!
- It's a secret.
- Jack, give me my fork back!
- Sit down, Tommy.
- Molly, you and Jo have outdone
- yourselves with this meal.
- Settle down now.
Patience is a virtue.
Everyone...
- Everyone!
- Settle down, Jack.
This is our new boy.
Come on. Nat Blake.
- Hello.
- Hello, Nat.
- Hello, everyone.
- Please sit down.
This is our mischievous
little monkey, Tommy Bangs.
These are Mr. Brooke's children,
Daisy and Demi Brooke.
- Next to Daisy is George Cole.
- But you can call me Stuffy.
And the tall fellow there is
Franz. That is Mr. Bhaer's nephew.
He helps me teach, and
he's also a very good musician.
Are you a musician
yourself, Nat?
- That is Adolphus Pettingill.
- But we call him Dolly.
And there is Emil.
Ahoy, matey, and welcome
to the good ship Plumfield.
Ah, the commodore has
salt water in his veins.
Arr!
And that is Jack Ford.
You're gonna like it
here, Blake.
- Sure, he'll like it!
- And of course you've met
little Bhaer.
I know you're all hungry,
so I'll say grace.
Let us pray.
It is very meet, right,
and our bounden duty
that we should at all times
and in all places give thanks
unto thee, Holy Father,
almighty and everlasting God.
- Amen.
- Amen.
Amen.
- You may begin.
- Would you like soup, Daisy?
- Yes, please.
- Could I have some too, please?
You can all give Nat your
how-do-you-dos after supper.
- Hey! Who took my spoon?
- And gently, boys.
- Gently.
- May I have some bread?
What did Mr. Bhaer mean
when he said, "Gently"?
Because it's Saturday night.
Pillow fight!
Take that!
This isn't like other schools.
- Heads up, Nat!
- Ugh!
Go ahead.
Go on, Nat. Join in the fun.
Go on.
Hey, two pillows,
that's not fair!
Defend yourself, matey!
Or prepare to walk the plank!
Whop him one, Nat!
- Ah, as usual, our cup runneth over.
- Mm-hmm.
Will we make it through spring?
At least Nat's tuition is
covered by your brother-in-law.
Well, faith, hard work,
and a little help from above
will see us through.
- It always has.
- Hey! Ow!
- Hey, that's not fair!
- You care to join me?
I don't think so.
Ah, you old wet blanket, you.
- How much longer, Aunt Jo?
- You have 10 seconds, Demi.
Four, three, two,
one.
- Hey! Hey!
- Time is up.
Time is up.
Into bed, ragamuffins,
or pay the forfeit.
We have 15 minutes
and not a second longer.
What's the forfeit?
We lose our fun, Blake, as in
no pillow fight next Saturday night.
If Mrs. Bhaer cuts a dozen
slices of apple pie,
but only serves
three quarters of them,
how many slices are left?
Three quarters of 12...
- Yes, Stuffy?
- Serving nine slices leaves three.
- Good! Any questions?
- Oh, sir, me!
- Yes, Stuffy?
- When do we get to eat them?
- Tonight, I hope.
- That will be all for
this afternoon, fellows.
See you at dinner.
Please, don't stop.
But we would like to hear
you play something, Nat.
I don't know how
to play the recorder.
Well
what about
this?
I've had it for years.
It's a family heirloom.
How can I thank you?
By playing something.
- Woo-hoo!
- Yee-haw!
- Yahoo!
- Woo!
Yeah!
Woo-hoo!
Yee-haw!
Woo-hoo!
- Bravo, Nat!
- Bravo! Well done, my son!
- Well done!
- Well done, Nat.
- You were a street musician?
- Uh-huh.
I'd fiddle while my friend Dan
did tricks.
Can you make much money
that way?
- It sounds tin-potty to me.
- Supply and demand, Nat.
That's the key
to a successful enterprise.
Down at the creek,
I can earn 5 cents a can
- selling worms to fishermen.
- Dan and me,
we made tonnes of money.
Had tonnes of fun too,
playing all over Boston. We drew
huge crowds
wherever we performed.
Huge crowds?
Tonnes of money?
We know you want to fit in
and be well liked.
We want that too.
Perhaps to you it was
only a little white lie.
- I wasn't lying.
- Then shall we say stretching the truth?
Nat, Mr. Bhaer and I
like having poor boys
come live with us.
What we don't like is having
them tell misleading tales.
What if your story prompted
someone to run away?
You know the reality
of how hard life is out there.
There are lessons to learn
in some ways, far more important
than any taught in school,
like being honest,
or being good.
Being good?
And loving to be good.
Come here.
I want to show you something.
This is one of the ways
I try to help. I call this
my Conscience Book.
- There's Tommy's name!
- Mm-hmm.
I have a page for each boy.
I keep a little account
of how he gets on each week,
and then on Sunday nights,
I show him my notes.
There's my name!
Only you and I will know what is
to be written beneath your name.
Vinyl nightgowns were
unknown comforts in Nat's world,
and the feeling
that somebody cared for him
made that plain room seem like
heaven to the homeless child.
Yet he wondered what
adventures his friend Dan had lived
since that fateful day
in the market when the two
boys were separated.
Arr! There y'are,
ya scurvy dog!
My eggs!
Look what you did!
Weren't you looking
where you were walking?
Do you know how much
this is gonna cost me?
What's the problem here, fellas?
He ran into me
and broke my eggs!
Did not, Tommy!
He bumped into me
and dropped them.
Nat, the truth.
- I didn't even touch him.
- He... he tripped.
- It's not his fault, Mr. Bhaer.
- We were just playing.
Come with me, young man.
Yes, sir.
When I was a little lad,
I would tend to lie too, Nat.
A lie is a lie.
And although we all tell
many polite untruths
in this queer world of ours,
it is not right,
and everybody knows it.
My dear old grandmother cured me
of it, though.
Can you guess how?
To this day, I can still
hear her voice saying,
"I will help you
to watch your tongue
by putting a check
on the unruly part."
And with that,
she drew it from my mouth,
and snipped the end
with scissors
till blood ran.
Oh, that was terrible,
you may believe.
But it did me much good,
because my tongue was
sore for days, and every word
I spoke came out so slowly
that I had time... to think.
But I prefer to do things
differently.
Come.
- He's coming down hard on him.
- It's all my fault.
I shouldn't have gotten
so upset.
You should have thought
of that before, Bangs.
I'm ready for you to strike me.
Quite the contrary, my lad.
It is you who will ferrule me.
What?
Perhaps by giving pain
instead of receiving it,
you will learn to
hold your tongue
and always tell the truth.
But I can't hurt you.
Lying hurts us all, Nat.
Use the ruler.
Don't make me do this.
Now, lad!
Give me six good strokes!
Please, I can't.
You can. You will!
Obey me!
Now again!
Harder!
Please, is that enough?
No! Two more!
I'll never, ever do it again.
I'll never tell lies
to anyone, ever.
I believe you, my son.
Still friends?
I hope so.
There's more where these
came from. Wanna see?
Yeah.
This is it.
My hens lay them.
Mrs. Bhaer buys them,
5 cents a dozen.
We could be partners!
Uh, sure.
We could split the profits.
OK.
Look! I got one!
After weeks of searching,
Dan had finally discovered
where his friend was taken.
He knew nothing about this
strange place called Plumfield,
but the streets of Boston
prepared a lad
for just about anything.
- Psst! Nat.
- Dan! What are you doing here?
It's really good to see you.
- It's good to see you too.
- How'd you find this place?
Asked around, got directions.
Reckoned I'd give Plumfield
a try myself.
- You mean you want to stay?
- You want me to, don'tcha?
Of course I do, but... it's not
up to me; It's up to the Bhaers.
- The bears? - Yeah, Fritz and Jo.
- Steady now, lad.
- Down we go.
- There's Jo now.
Come on, let's go see her.
Charlie, get down! No!
Hold still! Hold still, Charlie!
Come on down!
Down!
All right.
Forget about that one,
Mrs. Bhaer.
- He's untameable.
- Thank you, Silas.
I do appreciate your trying.
Mrs. Bhaer?
This is Dan.
- Well, hello, Dan.
- Mrs. Bhaer.
- He's my friend from Boston.
- Well, then, we shall have
to make sure that he has
a pleasant visit.
Oh, it isn't a visit;
He wants to stay
if you'll let him.
It's not as simple as that, Nat.
But I thought you liked
helping poor boys.
Mr. Bhaer is not home right now.
We will settle this matter
when he returns.
In the meantime,
why don't you show Dan around?
Yes, ma'am.
Come on. Some of the fellas
are in the barn.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Let's have a big hand
for Tommy the Chimp
and the Amazing Toby!
Hey, everyone!
This is my friend Dan.
Penny each, 2 cents total!
Uh, he's company.
I'll pay for both. There you go.
Come on.
And welcome, gents,
to the amazing big top.
And now for your enjoyment, Tommy
the Chimp will turn a death-defying flip
off the back
of a galloping stallion!
Yay! Yay! Yay!
You call that a flip?
Think you could do better?
Hold these.
- Whoa! - Wow!
- Wow!
- By George!
- A round of applause!
- How'd you do that?
- It's easy. You could do it.
- There's just one thing you gotta know how to do.
- What?
What'll you give me
if I tell ya?
- It's nearly brand new.
- It's got five blades,
and only one's broken.
Keep it up
till you learn, that's all.
Hey, that's not fair!
- You want the knife back?
- I'll play ya for it.
Stick knife.
Dan.
- I'll play.
- Take your shoes and socks off,
spread your legs
a few feet apart.
You can only move
your right foot.
First one
who chickens out loses.
Bet you two bits
Bang is the quitter.
Why don't you
just steal my money?
No bending allowed.
Nat.
Why don't you bring your friend
into the house?
Mr. Bhaer is home now.
- Y-Yes, ma'am.
- I'll be right there.
Keep it, Tom.
Ain't gonna risk getting cut
with no rusty blade.
How old are you, Danny?
Fourteen. And it's Dan.
You look younger.
Do you have any relatives? Any
friends that can help take care of you?
- No.
- Say,
- "No, ma'am."
- No, ma'am.
To tell the truth, Dan,
our boys are sent to us
by their parents.
Or they come to us
through referrals
or sponsors. We like to know as
much as we can before we admit them.
We have no choice
but to pick and choose.
Dan could have my bed, sir,
and I could sleep in the barn.
I used to sleep almost anywhere
with my father.
Uh, would you boys, uh,
leave us alone for a minute
while Mrs. Bhaer and I
- discuss the matter?
- Yes, sir.
- Oh, a ball.
- Where'd that come from?
- Hey, that's mine!
- Is this your ball, Teddy?
- Want it, Teddy?
- Hey!
- Ah, look what I got.
- Jo, we simply cannot take
another boy.
We do not have the money.
- Give it back!
- No. Haha!
Look what I got.
Let's go, Jack.
- Hello there.
- Hello.
- Wanna see something?
- We cannot...
Blow on it.
- Where'd it go?
- I don't know.
Hey, what's that?
There you go.
Nat.
I think we should be able
to find room for Dan
without you having to give up your bed.
Why don't you show him the wash closet
and help him
to find some fresh clothing?
- Thank you, Mrs. Bhaer.
- Thanks, ma'am.
Thank you, sir.
Just remember, Dan,
no fighting, no lying,
and no stealing.
If you don't behave,
they won't let you stay.
Come on, Nat. You really think people like
them give a hoot about paupers like us?
I know they do.
Well, maybe the lady,
but you saw the look
on the old man's mug.
- He figures he's got me pegged.
- Then prove him wrong.
We hardly know
anything about him.
We know that he is in need.
He has a mind, Fritz;
A heart and a soul
like everyone else.
Oh, and there is goodness
in him.
You saw how he was with Teddy.
Yes, I saw.
I wonder if he has
any other tricks up his sleeve.
I just hope your experiment
works out well.
- Hey, Emil, look at this.
- What is it?
It's a book on snakes.
Great bunch of fellows, huh?
We don't get boa constrictors
around here.
Great bunch of green bellies.
You probably saw a garden snake.
Good morning.
You hungry?
Why don't you help me
whip up a few griddlecakes?
Can you pass me
the flour, please?
It's the one nearest the lamp.
He can't read.
Sorry, Mrs. Bhaer.
I think it is Dan
to whom you owe an apology.
Please, Dan, accept my apology?
Ain't no rabbits in these woods.
Sure there are!
So, Dan,
Nat said you fellows had
some great times
- out in the street of Boston.
- Is that what he said?
Yeah. Made out like bandits.
He was right.
No, I wasn't.
- It's pure freedom.
- You live by your wits, boys,
and your fists,
just like when you go to sea.
Wouldn't hurt you, Emil,
to learn some boxing.
Never know what you'll be up
against upon one of them whalers.
- Boxing?
- Yeah, sure.
I'd be glad to give you
some pointers.
Of course, if you don't think
you're man enough...
I'm man enough.
- What do you say, Emil?
- Tonight?
Sure.
- How are you, Molly?
- Oh, grand, sir, just grand.
Will you kindly tell my sister
that we're here, Molly?
- Right away, Mum.
- Thank you.
- Oh, hello, Mr. and Mrs. Brooke.
- Nat, how are you doing, boy?
- Very well, sir.
- Good, good, good, good.
Thank you, sir.
For everything.
Ma'am.
- Father!
- Mother!
Meg! Hello.
- John, thanks for coming.
- Wonderful to see you. - Nice to see you.
- Oh, you too, Jo.
- Hello, Meg.
Hello, Fritz.
Spot of elderberry wine
to take the chill out?
- That would be delightful, yes.
- Come with me, Meg. - Thank you.
So, pumpkin, tell me,
how are things going?
- Very well.
- How is he feeling, Meg?
- Oh, he has his good days.
- - I'm reading a book on Greenland.
- Greenland?
- Oh, that's interesting.
Yes, many special
projects this year.
- Are you all right?
- I'm fine.
Congratulations! Wonderful.
Beginning to like it here?
It'll do.
Thank you.
I have some unfortunate news.
Victoria Harding passed away.
- Oh, dear.
- How is young Nan taking it?
Very poorly, I'm afraid.
She misses her mother terribly.
But Nat seems
to be adjusting well.
He is fitting in beautifully.
Far from the withdrawn youth
he was when he first came here.
Indeed.
Shh! Come on.
Your sister's after me
to give up this thing.
John,
we've admitted a friend of Nat's
to Plumfield.
Oh. Who's sponsoring the boy?
Um... no one, actually.
No one?
A non-revenue?
But I was under the impression
that the well was running dry.
Yes, it is.
Um... it is one of the concerns
we wanted to discuss with you.
Very well then.
Tell me about the boy.
- Well, at heart he is...
- a thoughtful,
kind, and well-mannered boy.
That's OK. It's OK.
- Slap him back.
- Come on,
- knock his block off!
- Keep your fists up.
Don't want a scrapper getting
your face with a whack like that.
- Come on! Yeah, go, go!
- Keep moving!
Guard your gut, your head!
Hit him! Come on!
Ooh! Oh!
- Think you got the hang of it?
- Wanna try laying one on me?
Emil? Or is it Emily?
Oh!
- You swung too wide, too broad.
- It's all right. Get back in there.
Try aiming directly
for the face, the belly.
Think straight lines.
Try again! Come on,
hit him hard!
What's going on in here?
- Ooh!
- Aw!
Hey! Now you're gonna get it!
- Break it up!
- That's enough, boys!
That's enough!
The last fella
who did that to me
was left pushing up daisies
at Gettysburg!
Hm. Pardon me.
Yes?
Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Bhaer.
Thought you should see this.
Excuse me. Something, uh
has come up.
I walked in on them
- having a row.
- A row?
It was boxing, and I was
showing him some moves.
Another one of your many
hidden talents, Dan, along with
tumbling and magic tricks,
sticking knives.
Oh, you didn't think I knew about
your little contest, did you? It's my job
to know everything around here.
Were you aware
that pugilism is
strictly forbidden?
Fist fighting.
Yeah, I was aware, sir.
Then why deliberately ignore
the rule?
They'll all be mollycoddles
if they don't know how to fight.
It was I,
sir. I asked him to teach me.
He'll make
a first-rate boxer, too;
He's got the guts.
Let me
tell you something, my friends.
The measure of a good man
is not his ability to do damage
with his fists; Rather,
it is his ability
to express compassion.
Fritz?
You'd best go into the parlour.
John's there. Go on.
I'll tend to the lads.
Silas.
You're too dang soft
on them boys, Mrs. Bhaer -
every last one of them.
A good whipping's
what they need.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Bhaer.
I guess my temper got
the better of me.
- That's quite a shiner you've got there, Commodore.
- Thanks.
It wasn't a compliment.
Now, let's have a look
at the tough fellow.
Oh, I see. It's not pain
you're afraid of, is it?
I ain't afraid of nothin'.
Did you and Mr. Bhaer have
a nice chat?
I thought he was gonna
give us both a whippin'.
We don't give whippings
here, Dan.
My husband is
a compassionate man.
Do you want to stay
at Plumfield?
Then I'll make you a deal.
You follow the rules,
then you stay.
But if you continue
to break them,
you will be sent away.
M-Mrs. Bhaer?
Yes?
W-What's compassion?
Is everything all right
out there?
Just a few of the boys who
needed help with their lessons.
Always thinking the best
of people.
I beg your pardon?
It's one of the things, Jo,
I love most about you.
Are you patronizing me?
Never.
He's come a very long way
in a very short time.
I've seen how well
the younger boys relate to him.
Mmm. And I've seen how well
he manipulates the older ones.
I grant you, there are
two sides to every coin.
But, to my mind,
there is a real question
on which side this one
will land.
Ah. I must be going.
My train leaves in an hour.
Good boy, Jake.
I'd wish you luck
delivering your lecture,
but I know you won't need it.
What takes luck is coaxing
the society members
to open their wallets.
I haven't given up
on the boy, Jo;
Far from it.
Have a safe journey.
All right, Silas.
Nine times 12 equals 108.
Ten times 12 equals 120.
Good. So,
if you need 60 cents
to buy 12 chickens
at the market, how many cents
would you need to buy only one?
- Dan?
- Yeah?
Sixty cents for 12 chickens
at the market.
How much for one?
Zero.
- What?
- Really?
How so?
Just grab the clucker and run.
Does anybody know
the correct answer?
Hey, Dan.
Wanna try your luck?
I bet the only
fishing he knows how to do
is for wallets.
I can out-fish you
any day of the week, Jack.
Nat, you awake?
- I got a great idea.
- Yeah, me too:
Let's go back to sleep.
How'd you like to play
a few hands of poker?
There's no cards here; Mr. and
Mrs. Bhaer don't allow it.
Papa Bear ain't home,
and Mama's long asleep.
Where'd those come from?
What's going on?
- Five-card draw, Jack.
- Wanna play?
- Yeah!
- Shh!
- Wanna wake the whole house?
- Sorry.
Bring that lamp
and pull up a chair.
- What are you fellas doing?
- Little game of chance. You in?
- No. - I am!
- Shh!
Come on, Nat.
It'll be like old times.
I'd hate to think what would
happen if we got caught.
Who's gonna catch us?
- Now what are you doing?
- It's cold out there!
So stay under the covers, boy,
'cause we're playing like men.
Who you calling a boy?
A little beer.
Or some cigars?
Are you trying
to get us all sent away?
Will you quit
being such a scaredy?
Oh, been too long
since I've had one of these.
Damn, that's good.
- You shouldn't say that.
- Swearing's bad.
Just puff on it, Tommy,
and then pass it to Jack.
Yeah, Bangs. Just puff on it.
- I like it!
- Here, a swig of this'll cool your throat.
That's good too - damn good!
Poker's the game,
five-card draw.
Aces and jokers are wild.
Jack, you're a betting man.
You wanna open?
Open, right.
How much should I bet?
Shh! Someone's coming.
Hello, Demi. What's wrong?
I thought I smelt... smoke.
- Not in here.
- Uh, were you dreaming?
- Maybe I should get Molly.
- No.
No!
Everyone, straighten up
and get back in bed.
The window's open. It's just
smoke from the chimney.
Why don't you go on
back to bed? Hmm?
- That was close.
- Yeah.
I think we should
call it a night.
- Goodnight.
- 'Night.
Fire!
Fiiiiire!
Everybody out of the house!
Fire! Everybody out!
Fire!
Wake up! Wake up! Wake up,
everybody!
Wake up! Fire!
- Wake up!
- Ahhhhh!
There! Out of the house, boys!
- Come on!
- Ahhhh!
Tommy! Tommy! You're gonna
be OK. You're gonna be OK.
Calm down.
Molly, go find Daisy!
You boys get outside!
Go outside and fetch water!
Fresh air! He needs fresh air!
Franz, make sure there's nobody
in there! And fetch some water!
Hurry!
Silas, over here.
Silas, the curtains!
- Well done, Dan.
- And thank you, Silas.
Thank God it didn't
go out of this room.
Oh! I brought wet blankets,
Mrs. Bhaer.
Oh, thank you, Molly,
but I think it's over.
Oh, Mrs. Bhaer, I'm so sorry.
What ever are you
apologizing for, Molly?
Well, Demi came to my room
saying he smelt smoke,
and... I thought
it must have been
- something outside.
- Oh, please!
Don't blame this
on yourself, dear.
- Maybe it was a spark from the lamp.
- Kerosene lamps
don't spark, Dan.
Boys
did something go on
in here tonight?
- There...
- It hurts.
Tommy, poor love.
Make it stop.
Poor lad.
Make it stop.
- That's what we're doing here.
- You're going to be just fine.
Whoa, boy.
I wish I could
make it right, sir.
Um... I'm very sorry.
It was a stupid mistake;
One that I'll never make again.
What are you gonna do with us?
The scars you'll be
living with, Tommy, are
punishment enough.
What about you?
Sorry.
Just as I thought.
All right.
All of you boys can leave now.
All but Dan.
Smoking
and gambling.
How many more rules
can you arrange to have broken?
I found this
beneath the bedroom window.
We cannot have you endangering
our students any longer, Dan,
with your flagrant disregard
of regulations.
So we're sending you away.
To a nice place
run by Mr. Page, a good fellow
who does very well
with troubled youths.
Is there something
you want to say to us?
N-No.
I mean no, ma'am.
I reckon not.
Remember what I told you
about people like them?
You could have asked
for just one more chance.
They're sending me to some place
in the country
for troubled youths.
You might like it.
I ain't gonna stay if I don't.
Where would you go?
Maybe head out west,
take a look at California.
Or maybe go to sea,
have some real adventures.
Whoa.
Dan!
Might need this.
Not me, friend.
Not me.
Hey.
I'm sorry. I'll go away
if you want me to leave.
Oh, no. No, no,
no one's sending you away.
No.
He's the first.
The first boy
we ever failed with.
There is the making
of a fine young man in him.
In spite of his faults.
I hope so.
Your faith deserves success.
Jo had a surprise
in store for Nat.
She long had thought the
boys would be all the better
with another girl among them,
so she invited naughty Nan
- into their midst.
- She's here!
The girl had been running wild since
her mother died, and her father rejoiced
when Jo offered to make
a place for her at Plumfield.
Hello!
Whoa, boys.
Come along, my child. Come.
Come and meet
your new friends. Ah.
Nat, Tommy,
this is Nan Harding. She'll be
spending the fall with us.
And perhaps if she likes it
enough, she'll stay.
This is Daisy. Perhaps you can
do an activity together.
Later we can have tea
while the boys play baseball.
Oh, joy.
Come on in.
- Thank you, Silas.
- All right, boys,
- are we ready for the game?
- Yes, sir.
- OK, boys, next batter!
- Come on, Stuffy! - Come on, Stuffy!
- You can do it!
- Stuffy, watch the ball!
Watch the ball, Stuffy! Come on!
- You can do it!
- Concentrate!
- Get ready! Here comes the pitch!
- Keep your eye on the ball,
- Stuffy!
- Oh! Strike one!
Come on, Stuffy!
- Here comes the pitch. Keep your eye on the ball!
- Hit it out, Stuffy!
Come on, Stuffy!
Tea?
- Run! Run!
- Safe!
Yeah, sure.
- One man out and one on first!
- Next batter!
- OK, Nat, your turn. Go!
- OK, Nat, you can do it.
- Silas taught them how to play.
- That's nice.
- I know you can!
- Come on!
- Franz, strike him out!
- Go, Nat! Yeah!
- Strike one!
- Aw, it's OK...
- It was right over the plate!
- You should a beaned it!
- That's OK, Nat. Next one.
- Come on, Nat!
- Hit it out of the park! Come on, Nat!
- Concentrate!
- Yeah, get ready.
- Strike two!
- Come on!
- You could a clobbered it!
OK, Nat!
- Hit it out of the field!
- Yeah, hit it out of the field!
- Strike three. Two men out and one on first.
- Why did you swing
at that one?
He was throwin' at the birds!
- You think you can do better?
- Darn tootin'.
OK, Miss Smarty,
let's see what you can do.
- All right!
- Ho, ho.
Come on, guys, move in!
Tommy, go to the right a bit.
Wow! Look at that!
Run! Run, Nan! Run!
Come on, Stuffy! Come on!
Fat guy, get out of my way!
- Great! Run, run, run!
- Throw it! Throw it!
- Come on into home!
- Safe!
What a play!
Like one of the fellows!
She is so much like me
when I was
- a child.
- Oh, that I had known you then!
Come on.
OK, Mr. Smarty.
Now, what can YOU do?
Play violin?
May I help you with those, Nan?
If you want.
It seems Nan's presence has
already had a positive effect
on the lads.
- Yes, I know.
- Uh, a messenger brought this, Mum.
Oh, thank you, Molly.
What is it, Jo?
It's from Mr. Page.
Dan's run away.
Gone without a trace.
He's gone?
I'll bet he's halfway
to California by now,
catchin' a ride
on a Mississippi riverboat,
playin' five-card draw,
and puffin' on a stogie.
No riverboat's
big enough for Dan.
He's somewhere in the North
Atlantic. First mate
- on a Boston whaler.
- Listen to yourselves.
Dan nearly got us all
kicked out.
- I don't know.
- I kinda miss him.
- Miss what, Bangs?
- Getting burned?
Stinker was nothin' but trouble.
Sorry, Nat.
Hey.
What's the matter with you?
They can say whatever
they want, but I know the truth.
He was always there
when I needed him.
He's just a boy. Half of them
are gibin' good riddance,
and the other half are mopin' like
the milk wagon squished their dog.
We should do something
to take their minds off it.
Like what?
I know!
What's this?
"Miss Daisy Brooke
and Miss Anthea Harding
"request the pleasure
"of your company at their ball
in the barn Friday
- evening at 7."
- "Nat must bring his fiddle
so we can dance."
What does this mean?
"Formal attire?"
It means we dress up.
I just hope I look
half as pretty as the girls
- we've invited from town.
- Oh, I'll let you in on a secret:
- You're gonna be prettier.
- Oh, thank you, Auntie Jo.
Here, try some of this.
Oh! A bit, girl, not a bucket!
Excuse me, kind sir, but would
you think it too forward
if this lady asked you to dance?
Yes.
Come here.
- Would you like to dance?
- Oh, why, thank you, Mr. Bhaer.
Gentlemen,
the ladies are waiting.
That one.
Somebody?
Dance?
- Silas.
- Me?
- Do you want to give it a whirl?
- No, thanks.
Certainly.
There you are, little Bhaer.
What are you looking at?
Danny.
Oh, no.
I think it's just a reflection
from the moon.
He was there. I saw him.
Dan?
I was going off come morning.
Just thought I'd peek in
as I went by.
Why didn't you come inside?
Didn't suppose you'd let me.
You just try and see.
Let's take you inside,
take care of that foot of yours.
Come on, sweetie.
There you go.
There you go.
He's sleeping.
With rest and proper care,
he should be good as new
by Christmas.
Well, that's good.
When he's able, we will make
other arrangements for him.
What kind of arrangements?
- Why, someplace else to send him, of course.
- He's staying...
Someplace that's better for him.
Someplace that is better for him!
The lad is completely
malnourished,
his ankle badly sprained.
We sent him away once
and it nearly
destroyed him, Fritz.
I will not
take that chance again.
And what about Plumfield, Jo?
Shall we take
another chance
on him destroying it?
Hello, Dan!
Hello!
Come on.
This is my new friend, Nan.
- Hello.
- Hello.
What happened?
I didn't like it at Page's.
He was good enough,
just too dang strict.
So I cut away, downriver
with a guy in a boat.
When I left him, I was doing
fine, until I slipped
climbing over a stone wall.
Hello, Thomas.
Hello, Tommy! Come on in!
Good to see you too.
- Can't catch me!
- Oh, yes, I can!
Dan.
I thought as long as you're
here, we could use the time wisely.
Shall we work on your reading?
I picked this up this morning
while I was in town.
It's a book on natural history.
You'll recognize
some of the animals.
Some of the words are
quite hard, but together we can
master them. "Orangutan."
That's difficult.
Eight... nine
ten... eleven
twelve. That is
quite the bounty, Thomas.
Well done.
Thank you, Mrs. Bhaer,
and thank you, chickies.
Dan! Dan!
I was afraid you ran away again.
Would it have mattered?
You ain't been acting like it.
What's that supposed to mean?
You fit right in
with Tommy and the rest
of the green bellies.
You even got yourself a girly.
Nan?
You don't need me anymore.
Nobody in this rat hole does.
Have you been crying?
Nothing makes me cry!
You hear me? Nothing and nobody!
So you'd better stay
away from me,
or you'll be the one
that's crying.
- There you are, Nat.
- Business is booming!
What got his goat?
- He stole it!
- I did not.
- Liar! You were the only one who knew where it was!
- Fellows.
- You've lied before, Nat, and you're lying again.
- That's enough.
What's happening?
Nat stole Tommy's egg money.
Now, my son,
give me an honest answer.
Did you take his money?
No, sir.
He was right there
in the barn, Mr. Bhaer,
- looking guilty as sin!
- Is that true?
Yes, sir, except I didn't do it.
Then what was the matter?
Something between me and Dan.
Nat...
I'm very sorry,
but the evidences are
against you.
But mind, I do not charge you
with this theft,
shall not punish you for it
until I am
perfectly sure,
nor ask you about it again.
But if you are innocent, my son,
the truth will become clear
sooner or later.
And the instant it does,
I will be the first to beg
your pardon for doubting you.
Now then,
I have a class to teach.
All right, all right, come in!
- Let's get started.
- He's guilty.
What do you expect
from a street urchin?
It's the way they live.
- Fritz, I refuse to believe it.
- It's simply not like him.
To do what, Jo?
To lie, or to go
where his friend leads him?
Oh, I see. It's come down
to Dan again, has it?
Who needs this place anyway?
He didn't do it.
- How do you know, Dan?
- Because I stole Tommy's money.
Where is the money now?
Gambled it away to some
fishermen down the creek.
Sometimes you win,
sometimes you lose.
We'll give you a week, Dan,
to regain your strength.
By then,
we will have found
a suitable place to send you.
Thank you.
You're being too good a man
to say, "I told you so."
Maybe you can return this
to where you bought it,
and help pay Tommy back
some of his money.
Keep it.
Where are you going, Dan?
Someplace better for me.
Come inside first.
Please, Dan?
Nat.
Assemble the others.
Tell them I want them down here.
- Fritz.
- Yes? Ah.
All right, come.
Come on.
There is one among you missing.
Jack went home
early this morning,
but he left behind this note.
"I took Tommy's money."
- What? Jack?
- Jack?
"I peeked in on him
at the barn one afternoon
"and saw where he hid it.
"I thought Dan
"would be blamed, but not Nat.
"When I saw the way Dan
"stood up for him, I started
feeling guilty. I just
"can't take it any longer.
"I am awfully sorry.
"I am going home and don't know.
If I will ever come back."
Signed, "Jack."
If he returns,
we will accept him
and hopefully forgive him.
- So, what now?
- Am I supposed to say
I'm sorry for lying?
No, dear. It was a kind lie,
and I can't help forgiving it.
But it is never right
to tell lies,
even for a friend.
It was an act of true valour.
Though finally vindicated,
Dan's emotions,
too long kept within...
- Dan?
- Needed to burst out somehow.
What's his problem?
So easy for all of you
to believe it was one of us.
Dan!
A daring fancy took possession
of the boy, and never thinking
of the danger,
he obeyed his impulse.
Dan!
You think you're tough,
Charlie? You ain't so tough!
Come on!
He's trying to ride Charlie!
Dan, what are you doing?
Come on!
Dan, get down from that animal!
- What is that fool boy doing now?
- Dan!
Come on!
- Come on!
- Just get down!
Watch out, Dan!
- The horse is gonna... - Dan, no!
- Get off!
- Get off the horse, Dan!
- Get off it!
- Get down!
- Get off the horse!
- Dan!
- Stop it, Dan!
Dan...
- Come on, get off!
- Dan!
- He's doing it!
- He's tamed the horse!
He tamed it!
- Incredible!
- That was amazing!
Good boy.
Yay!
- Yes, Dan!
- All right, Dan!
- All right, Dan!
- Yeah, Dan!
Well done!
Dan.
Christmas season is
almost upon us, my son. Come.
Come with your family.
Come home with us.
Come home.
Woo!
Looks like a wonderful
collection.
Plenty to go around.
- But they're all broken.
- With a little
care and hard work,
they soon won't be.
One of the greatest gifts is
the gift of charity.
That's why every year at
Plumfield, we collect old toys,
mend them, paint them,
and give them to poor children
in the neighbourhood.
Children not as fortunate as us.
That's right, Dan.
Are you all right, sir?
Yes, I'm fine, son.
Just a seasonal cold, that's...
John?
Can I get you something, John?
Perhaps a spot
of elderberry wine?
That's all right.
Meg.
John!
Daddy!
I also lost my father.
Nat and Dan watched
the carriage take away the man
who had in one moment
changed their lives.
Come along in now.
John Brooke,
devoted to helping others,
never asked anything
for himself, but bore
his own burden
bravely and quietly.
Oh, come on in, Daisy dear.
Mrs. Brooke. Let me take
your coat.
For John,
this was always the time of year
to give from the heart,
and to receive.
This was always the merriest
time of year for him.
He'd want us
to keep it that way.
That's nice work, Dan.
Now, let's see what we can do
about the driver.
Well... I have all the parts,
so it won't be that difficult.
But the horse...
That'll be hard.
Timber!
This is for you.
- Thank you, sir.
- Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Merry Christmas!
- Merry Christmas, Jo.
- Merry Christmas.
Jo and her husband
stood together for a moment,
feeling that their autumn work
had been done well.
For love is a flower
that grows in any soil,
works its sweet miracles
undaunted by fall frost or winter snow,
blooming fair and fragrant
all the year,
and blessing those who give
and those who receive.
Closed Captioning by SETTE inc.