“You’re not having a good time to-night, are you?” she asked softly.
“Yes, I am—or at least I’m trying,” said Dan, stoutly. “It was surely nice of you all to give us this send off. But—but, you see, I can’t help feeling a little bad, because—because—” and he had to stop to clear the lump from his throat. “It seems to sort of end things for me.”
“O Danny, Danny, no it doesn’t!” And now Miss Stella’s eyes were stars indeed. “It’s the beginning of things bright and beautiful for you.”
And then, in sweet, trembling, joyful tones, she told him all,—told him of Captain Carleton and the medal; of the pension that was to be his and Aunt Winnie’s; of the kind, strong hand that had been stretched out to help him, that he might keep on without hindrance,—keep on his upward way.
“To the stars, Danny,” concluded the gentle speaker softly. “We must take the highest aim, even if we fail to reach it,—to the stars.”
“O Miss Stella,—dear, dear Miss Stella!” and the sob came surely now, in Dan’s bewildered joy, his gratitude, his relief. “How good you are,—how good you are! Oh, I will try to deserve it all, Miss Stella! A home for Aunt Winnie, and St. Andrew’s,—St. Andrew’s again!” And Dan sprang to his feet, and the college cry went ringing over the moonlit rocks. “It’s St. Andrew’s for Dan Dolan, now forever!”
The rest of that evening seemed a bewildering dream to Dan,—more bewildering even than Miss Polly’s party. The story of his medal and his luck went flying around Killykinick, with most dazzling additions. Before the guests departed, Dan was a hero indeed, adopted by a millionaire whose life his father or uncle or somebody had saved from sharks and whales fifty or seventy-five years ago.
“Oh, I’m so glad!” said Polly, as she shook hands for good-bye. “I always did say you were the nicest boy in the world. And now you needn’t ever be a newsboy or bootblack again, Dan.”
“I’ll see you again before very long,” said Miss Stella, as he helped her on the boat, and she slipped a gold piece in his hand. “Here is the price of Jack Farley’s medal. You must take Aunt Winnie home right away.”
“Oh, I will,—I will, indeed!” said Dan joyfully. “She will be back in Mulligan’s as soon as I can get her there, you bet, Miss Stella!”