“One thousand dollars—and for me?” He stammered the words, he was almost stricken dumb.
“Yes, for you—to do with as you will. You certainly deserve it,” said Strong.
“Every bit of it,” added Walker.
Ted had a feeling as if he wanted to cry. He did. Walker patted him on the shoulder understandingly, while Strong looked out of the window and pretended he did not see.
“There is a letter which you might be glad to read and which I think will be almost as welcome as the money.” Strong turned round and faced him as he said this.
The boy opened the letter.
“August 2, 1914.
“Master Theodore Marsh,
“Chicago, Illinois.
“Dear Theodore:
“Mr. Strong has advised me as to the service you have done Canada. It has been a big service, one that Canada must remember. I want you to know that it does and will. You have shown a capacity for thinking, for doing the right thing at the right time. I think even better than both these things, though, has been the simple way in which you have carried out instructions when conditions were such as to put up to you the burden of necessary action. What would have been a remarkable accomplishment for a man is a tremendous accomplishment for a boy.