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“Thank you,” said the highly elated father, “I should like to be alone for a few moments, that I may offer my thanks for this great goodness.”

By this time Daniel had reached the dining-room. As he missed the stranger, but still saw the dog, he asked: “Well, my dear father, did you satisfy the old man?”

“My dear boy, come seat yourself beside me, for I have something to say to you. We, whom you have always considered as father and mother, are not your parents.”

Daniel was greatly disturbed by this news and could scarcely speak. At last he said: “Oh, my dear parents, what great good you have always rendered me. How deep has been your love to me. All the rest of my life I will thank you. But, how is it that you only now divulge this great secret? You do not intend to cast me out, I hope?”

“Certainly not, my dear Daniel,” said Mr. Trent, “but listen further. You are the child that was rescued from the river, and the stranger whom you brought here is your father.”

“This man!” cried Daniel in astonishment; “yet he appears to me to be a good, honest man.”

Then Mr. Trent continued, in order to test Daniel, and said: “That may be! But he is so poor, while you are now so rich. You don’t need him. Besides, in his poor clothes, he would not be any credit to you. So I thought I would give him a sum of money, and send him back to his village.”

“Oh, no,” cried Daniel, springing from his chair. “I hope you have not already sent him to the ship. If so, let me hurry after him. I must see my father’s face again and embrace him. I trust you did not mean what you said. Were my father the poorest and most unfortunate man in the whole world, I would not be ashamed of him, for he is my father. Everything that I have, I would share with him.”

Daniel’s own father had heard these words, in the adjoining room. He stepped forward, rushed upon Daniel, and cried: “My son!” and Daniel cried: “My father!” They embraced each other and their tears fell freely.

CHAPTER VI

THE LEGACY

Mrs. Trent now invited all to partake of the evening meal. The conversation became animated, and Mr. Trent was happy to find that his guest was such a sensible, honest man. He then asked him how he happened to take such a long trip.

Joseph Swift said that a legacy had been bequeathed to him, and that he was on his way to a distant city to claim it. He had stopped at the near-by port in order to break the monotony of the journey. “Before the disaster that befell me,” continued he, “I lived in comparative comfort, but ever since I have been struggling. I was obliged to begin all over again and build a new house and start a new business. You can easily understand that I soon fell behind in money matters. The news of this legacy was very welcome, for every little helps. Some difficulty, however, has arisen, so I decided to go personally; and whether I shall get the money or not, remains to be seen.”

“I trust you have all the necessary papers and credentials with you.”

“O yes,” said Joseph, drawing out a wallet containing the papers, in order to prove his words.

Mr. Trent looked them over and found them correct, but conjectured that the outcome would be somewhat doubtful. Besides, when he took into consideration the cost of the journey, living expenses, the cost of the trial, he found that very little would remain of the legacy after all.

Mr. Trent, who was as noble as he was rich, said: “Do you know what I think, my dear friend? The rest of this journey would be very tiresome for you; and besides, you would have to remain there for some time before you could claim the money. I will give you the sum stated, and you can give me a power of attorney so that I can get the money. I can then instruct my business manager in that city to look after this matter for me.”