"But you had the pocketbook full of money; why didn't you take some of
that?"
"The Lord says 'Thou shalt not steal!'"
"But that would have been only taking in advance what would certainly
have been offered to you as a reward."
"I did think of that when aunt was crying for tea; but then I knew John
Hancock never would have done so, and I wouldn't, so I sold my book."
"There, uncle! I said so! Now! now! what do you think now?" exclaimed
Claudia.
"It must have cost you much to part with your treasure, my boy!" said
Mr. Middleton, without heeding the interruption of Claudia.
Ishmael's features quivered, his eyes filled with tears and his voice
failed in the attempt to answer.
"There is your book, my lad! It would be a sin to keep it from you,"
said Mr. Middleton, taking a packet from the bottom of the sleigh and
laying it upon Ishmael's knees.
"My book! my book again! Oh, oh, sir! I--" His voice sank; but his pale
face beamed with surprise, delight, and gratitude.
"Yes, it is yours, my boy, my noble boy! I give it to you once more; not
as any sort of a reward; but simply because I think it would be a sin to
deprive you of that which is yours by a sacred right. Keep it, and make
its history still your study, and its heroes still your models," said
Mr. Middleton, with emotion.
Ishmael was trembling with joy! His delight at recovering his lost
treasure was even greater than his joy at first possessing it had been.
He tried to thank the donor; but his gratitude was too intense to find
utterance in words.
"There, there, I know it all as well as if you had expressed it with the
eloquence of Cicero, my boy," said Mr. Middleton.
"Uncle, you are such a good old gander that I would hug and kiss you if
I could do so without climbing over aunt," said Claudia.
"Mr. Middleton, do let us get along a little faster! or we shall not
reach home until dark," said the lady.
"My good, little old wife, it will not be dark this night. The moon is
rising, and between the moon above and the snow beneath, we shall have
it as light as day all night. However, here goes!" And Mr. Middleton
touched up his horse and they flew as before the wind.
It was a glorious ride through a glorious scene! The setting sun was
kindling all the western sky into a dazzling effulgence, and sending
long golden lines of light through the interstices of the forest on one
hand, and the rising moon was flooding the eastern heavens with a
silvery radiance on the other. The sleigh flew as if drawn by winged
horses.