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“This is too much. My reason actually refuses to take it in. Do tell me, how did you get these costly things?” continued his wife.

“All these things, my dear wife, have been presented to you by my fellow-passenger,” pointing his finger at Daniel, who had kept somewhat aloof.

Mother and children had scarcely noticed him in their happiness, but all the while Daniel had been enjoying their rapture.

The mother looked sharply at Daniel and said: “This young man brings us all these things! Well, who is he?”

Mr. Swift bent his head and folded his hands; then he spoke with devout earnestness: “This friendly young man is your son, our child, whom we mourned as dead. A rich merchant and his good wife took him into their home and heart.”

Daniel could no longer restrain himself. He fell on the neck of his new-found mother and embraced her tenderly. Then he greeted his brothers and sisters heartily. The ecstacy of moments like these is indescribable.

At first, a little shyness existed between the brothers and sisters and this long-lost brother. But as he was entirely without vanity and modest and friendly, he soon won their confidence and respect, and they conversed with him as naturally as if they had been with him always.

One morning the family mounted the hill to show Daniel the spot where they had spent the night of terror.

“Yes,” said the father, “in the morning light, we found that our house had been swept away. In the face of all that disaster, I remember saying: ‘This dreadful calamity will yet bring us some blessing,’ and so it has happened. The people in the whole country around became more industrious than they had been in the time of their prosperity. Many who had been haughty and extravagant became humble, thrifty and moderate. God awoke many people to the performance of good deeds. Many a family quarrel was terminated; all the people became peace loving; each helped the other in the hour of need.

“Who would have believed that we would again see our beloved child? Who would have thought it possible that we, who once spent on this hill the worst night of our lives, would live to spend upon it the happiest day. Let us learn not to give up hope, no matter how bad the prospect may seem, for better times will come–God will make all things right at last.”

In the course of time, when Mr. Trent knew to a certainty of Mr. Swift’s honesty, he gave him the position of treasurer in his large business enterprises. This position was accepted, and Mr. Swift transferred his bleachery and vineyard to the care of his eldest son. With his wife and the other members of his family he then moved to a house adjacent to the Trents.

Daniel became his foster-father’s assistant, and proved himself worthy of all the care which had been bestowed upon him; and he remained a good, true, helpful son to his own and his foster-parents.