“You do know somebody like that; I’m sure you do!” he said insinuatingly.
“I?” said Polly. “I know hardly anybody. But I’m sure the president of the college could tell you of a dozen boys who would be grateful for help.”
And so Mr. Horace Clapp’s little plan had come to nought, and he took his leave more than ever convinced that it is a very difficult thing to spend one’s money in a good cause. As he stood a moment, waiting for his dog-cart, a boy came down the street with a parcel under his arm.
“Say, Mister, do you know whether Daniel Fitch lives here?” he asked.
“Daniel Fitch?” thought Mr. Clapp, as the boy turned in at the gate. “Daniel Fitch? Where have I heard that name? Oh, yes, Beatrice said there was a brother; 182 runs errands for Jones, the druggist. Plucky children! It would be pleasant to give them a lift!”
As for Polly, she had not a twinge of regret. In fact, she rather enjoyed dwelling upon the splendour of the opportunity she had thrust from her, the better to glory in her escape. And she looked forward with entire confidence to the time when she should test Dan’s feeling on the point.
On Christmas Eve they hung up their stockings, fairly bulging with materialised jokes and ideas which the morning was to bring to light, and we may be sure that they did not wait for the lazy winter sun to put in an appearance before beginning their investigations. Amid shouts of merriment the revelations of a remarkably inventive Santa Claus were greeted, while Polly held her climbing excitement in check until the hour should be ripe for greater things. But when, at last, just as the sun was peeping in at the kitchen window, Dan’s ferret fingers penetrated the extreme toe of his sock, she grew so agitated 183 that she quite forgot to make a certain witty observation she had been saving up for that particular moment. And so it came about that an unwonted silence reigned as the unsuspecting Dan drew forth a small flat parcel labelled: “A Merry Christmas from Polly.”
Within was their familiar bank-book, wrapped about with a less familiar sheet of note-paper bearing the following inscription:
“An Idea! Namely, to wit: That Daniel Reddiman Fitch, Esq., lay aside his character of Mercury, and become a student at Colorado College!
“P. S.—An examination of the within balance will assure the said Dan that there is nothing to prevent his thus delighting the heart of his faithful Polly.”