“That’s what it is,” he pronounced in a voice that trembled a little. “It’s a thousand dollar bill.”
The members of the little family stared at each other. None of them had ever seen a bill like that before. They could hardly believe their eyes. They thought that they were dreaming.
Mrs. Matson began to cry.
“That blessed, blessed boy!” she sobbed. “That blessed, darling boy!”
Clara’s eyes, too, were full of tears, and Mr. Matson blew his nose with astonishing vigor.
But they were happy tears that did not scald or sting, and in a few minutes they had recovered their equanimity to some degree.
“What on earth can it all mean?” asked Mrs. Matson, as she put on her glasses again.
“Let’s read the letter and find out,” urged Clara.
“You read it, Clara,” said her mother. “I’m such a big baby to-day that I couldn’t get through with it.”
Clara obeyed.