“Oh, I don’t want it!” she cried. “It’s Lav’s. Honestly. He really found out about the diamonds. I—I just—”
Everyone looked at Lavender, whose face had gone even whiter. Against it his eyes shone big and black. He seemed to straighten in the old chair and his poor shoulders took on a fine dignity.
“I—didn’t—want—any—money,” he answered in a voice so weak that it was scarcely anything more than a whisper.
But here the practical Miss Letty, who had taught Mrs. Allan her lesson on Cape Cod folks, took charge of matters.
“Well, you can do a whole lot with money, Lav Green. As long as the two counties decided it was worth that much to run down these smugglers I reckon you’ve earned it. And I want you men to go away from here and spread the word over the whole of Cape Cod that in that crooked body of Lav Green’s is a heart that’s as brave as the bravest and ambition, too. Folks have gotten to think he’s a loafer because he wouldn’t go to school, but they’ll come to know he isn’t and you can tell them Letty Vine knows for she’s taught him herself and he knows as much and more than any boy his age! And now—well, you watch Lav Green! That’s all I can say. Some day you men will hear about him and remember this day and be awful proud!”
Miss Vine had to stop to swallow something in her throat. Cap’n Phin forgot entirely the nice phrases he had practiced for the occasion. His men shuffled slowly out of the room, some of them coughing and others covertly wiping their eyes.
Mr. Dugald and Doctor Blackwell and Cap’n Phin and Martie and Gran’ma Calkins remained. Mart and Sidney were excitedly examining the little slip of paper that meant five thousand whole dollars, not with any coveting, for Mart was as vehement as Sidney in disclaiming any share in the reward. It was Lav’s. But for Lav’s risking everything to swim to shore no one might have known anything about Jed Starrow’s connection with the persistent smuggling.
“Oh, where is Jed Starrow?” Sidney suddenly asked and Cap’n Phin told her Jed Starrow was in jail.
“It’ll be a lesson to him and others like him,” he continued, sternly. “Betrayin’ the honor of the Cape! And him born and brought up on it!”
Sidney felt a moment’s regret that anyone had to be in jail. Then she forgot it in everyone’s interest as to what Lavender would do with so much money. They pressed him on every side, heedless of Doctor Blackwell’s warning that the boy should not be unduly excited.