laces. "Water makes leaves and grass green," he said to himself; "I
hope so, for I don't think that I could live many more hours without
water, not through another day in this hot sun. Oh dear! oh dear! how
very, very thirsty I am! What would I give if there should be water
there, even though I should only get one good drink of it! Ay, but I
shall want it another day--for many days, or months, perhaps, as long as
I live on this island. I don't think that God will have put only a
little there. If there is any, there will be a good supply for me, more
than this cocoa-nut full, I am certain." He had brought a cocoa-nut
shell with him to fill with water, that he might take some back to his
hut.

Ben almost shouted for joy when he found a spring of pure water bubbling
up from under a big rock. It ran a little way between rocks, and then
lost itself in a sandy bed. He scooped a hole in the ground, into which
he put his cocoa-nut shell, which quickly filled with water. How sweet
and pure it tasted! He felt that he could never take enough. At last,
however, his thirst was quenched, so he filled his cocoa-nut shell, and
directed his steps to the sea-shore; but he had not gone far before he
was tempted to put the shell to his lips. He soon drained it, and then
he went back for more. His great fear was that he should not again find
the spring. He marked the spot with the greatest care, and noted each
tree and mound as he took his way towards the beach. Night was coming
on, as it does in those latitudes, very rapidly; and Ben had to hurry on
for fear of not finding his hut, and at the same time to be very
cautious not to spill the water out of his cocoa-nut. Oh that people
would be as eager for the Water of Life, as little Ben was for the
spring in that desert island, and would be tempted to return to it again
and again to drink afresh of its pure source! Ben was thankful when he
saw the glow from his fire, which continued smouldering gently. Without
it he might have passed his hut. He could not manage by its light to
read more than a few verses from his Testament; but even those few gave
him comfort and hope. With a heart truly grateful for the mercies
bestowed on him, he knelt down and offered up his simple prayer to God.
The last thing he did was to make up his fire afresh, and then he crept
into his hut and in a few moments was fast asleep.

The sun had risen before Ben awoke. He felt that he had a great d