me than I for it.
Besides, I am quite ready. Now, my dear sister, expend your energies in
seeing if my luggage is all right."

Then Arthur and his father were left alone.

"Now, my darling boy," Mr. Vivyan said, "come here. I want to speak to
you, and to say good-bye."

So Arthur came closer to his chair, and his father put his arms around
him, and took his hand in his.

"Arthur," he said, "perhaps you don't know how much I love you, and how
deeply anxious I am about you, that you should grow up to be a man that
your mother need not be ashamed of. You know, Arthur, I cannot talk to you
as she does; but I pray for you every day, and now especially that I am
leaving you. But we shall have another home on earth some day, I trust;
and, better than that, you know about the home where the Lord Jesus is
waiting for those who are washed in His blood. You are going to that home,
my precious boy?"

"Yes, father," said Arthur in a low voice.

"Well, then, you know you always have that to think about; and now I will
give you this text to keep from me while I am away, 'Goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of
the Lord for ever.' And won't it be nice to get a letter from India!"

"Yes, oh yes, father," said Arthur, bursting into a flood of tears; "but
it would be so much nicer to be going."

"Hush, hush," said Mr. Vivyan kindly; "you know there are some things that
God has forbidden, and it is wrong to think of how nice they would be. I
suppose you cannot think of how pleasant a great many things you have are
just now, but by and by you will find it out."

This was just what Arthur was thinking. It was very strange to him to hear
his father talking in this way to him; he had never done so before; and it
made him love him as he did not know he ever could. It was quite true that
everything was looking black and gloomy, and that to try and see
brightness in his life at Myrtle Hill seemed to make the dreary feeling
more intense at his heart. But still he could lie down at the feet of the
Master who is so kind, and rest there while earthly things were so dark,
and trust Him, waiting while the violence of the storm was passing. Arthur
had answered the Shepherd's call--"Follow thou me," and the one who has
said that "He gathers the lambs in His arms, and carries them in His
bosom."

"And now, my boy," said Mr. Vivyan, "God bless you and keep you; good-bye,
my own dear little b