TWO HUNDRED PASSENGERS PRAISE PROMPT ACTION
OF TWELVE-YEAR-OLD YOUTH AND SHOW GRATITUDE
BY LIBERAL PURSE OF MONEY
FEARFUL ACCIDENT NARROWLY AVERTED
Kid read no further. He drew a long, long sigh of relief. Then he looked up at the Doctor.
“I don’t believe there were as many passengers as that,” he stammered.
“No? Well, the papers like to improve on a good story. Now suppose you tell me just what happened, my boy.”
And so Kid, after a moment’s hesitation, told his story. He didn’t say that he had started to run away to sea and the Doctor asked no embarrassing questions; but he told all the rest. And when he had finished the Doctor said:
“And this ‘liberal purse of money,’ James; may I inquire how much it amounted to?”
“Seventeen dollars and a half, sir.”
The Doctor chuckled. “Liberal, indeed,” he said. “I agree with you that the paper’s estimate of the number of passengers is undoubtedly exaggerated. Otherwise we must suppose that the passengers valued their lives at something like eight and three-quarters cents apiece, and that’s a low estimate, isn’t it?”
Kid grinned. “Yes, sir.”
“Still, seventeen dollars is seventeen dollars, and while you, of course, signaled the train without thinking of any accruing reward, you are justly entitled to it. I suppose you will—ah—send it home to your folks. And that reminds me, James. I fully intended writing to your father last week and informing him how you had so pluckily set to work to make money. I neglected to do it, though. I was very busy at the time, and afterwards it slipped my memory. Now, however, I shall have to write at once. He will be very proud, I’m sure, to learn what his boy has been doing. We’re proud, too, James. You’re an honor to the school, sir. Of course, I cannot commend your conduct in disobeying instructions and leaving your room yesterday. That was wrong, wasn’t it?”