“Well, boys,” he began in his gruff voice, “I ain’t got much to say. I didn’t expect to make a speech when I came over here this evening, but Dr. Benedict here seemed to think I ought to. And maybe he’s right. Because it gives me a chance to thank you all for the help you gave me last night. I’m mighty grateful. I guess I’d been a heap worse off to-day than I be—am if it wasn’t for you boys. I lost my stable and my barn, but those can be built up again. I saved my horses, and that’s the main thing. I—I’m fond o’ them horses; guess horses is a sort of a weakness o’ mine, boys. I ain’t saying anything about the value of ’em; that’s considerable, too; but I’d just plumb hated to lose them horses, boys. So, I—I’m much obliged to you one and all. And—and I guess I’ll just say good night and go along home now.”
But the Doctor laid a detaining hand on his arm.
“Just a minute, sir,” he laughed. “You’re forgetting the main thing, aren’t you? About the land?”
“Oh! Well, it’s just that I want to show you that I’m grateful, boys,” said the farmer. “You’ve been wanting a piece of my meadow for a good while. Maybe I’ve been—been sort o’ prejudiced against you.” There was a twinkle in his eye and the boys grinned responsively. “Well, we’ll let bygones be bygones. The land’s yours, as much as you want of it, two acres or five. The Doctor and I we settled that part of it. It ain’t going to cost you anything. You’re welcome to it, and I hope it’ll make you a good playground.”
The cheer that went up was spontaneous and so unexpected by Farmer Finkler that he fell back from the doorway in alarm. The Doctor laughingly reassured him. “They’re just showing their appreciation of your generosity,” he explained.
“I want to know!” ejaculated the farmer.
The boys were shoving Dolph forward with cries of “Speech, Dolph, speech!” So Dolph, a little embarrassed, accepted the office.
“Mr. Finkler,” he said earnestly, “I don’t believe anything I can say will make you understand how much we fellows appreciate what you’ve done. Not only us few here, sir, but the whole school—and the fellows who’ve gone and those to come. It’s going to make a big difference, sir, for it will give us an athletic field as good as any in the country. We—we’re awfully grateful to you, sir. It—it’s fine and dandy of you! What we did to help last night at the fire we were mighty glad to do, but you’ve repaid us fifty times over, sir. And—and I want to say—to promise on behalf of the whole school, Mr. Finkler, that after this you won’t have any trouble about your apples, sir!”
Laughter and applause greeted this remark.