“Why, Father, I did not know it made any difference to anybody except myself,” Peter answered, looking at his parents in surprise.
“Nevertheless it has made a difference, my son,” returned the president of the company kindly. “Strong was assuredly a good fellow; indeed he was a lad to whom I always shall feel grateful, for he has taught me several lessons that I needed to learn.”
Peter opened his eyes very wide.
To think of his father’s learning lessons!
“Still,” continued Mr. Coddington, “so long as Peter Strong and not Peter Coddington formed a part of our household many plans which we had hoped to make realities had to be abandoned. Now, however, we shall try to carry through some of them; one in particular we are eager to see fulfilled, and that is why Mrs. Coddington and I have come here to-day.”
Peter wondered what was coming.
His mother answered the question that trembled on his lips.
“Your father and I thought best not to tell you beforehand, Peter,” she said softly.
“I’ll do it, whatever it is, Father,” cried Peter. “Only please do not say that you want me to go back to school. I’d even do that, though, if you really thought I had better,” he added bravely.
Mr. Coddington dropped his hand on the boy’s shoulder and smiled down into the anxious face.