g, "I might have turned to that anyway."

"Bessie," said Mrs. Worthington, "those words were written by the wisest
man the world has ever known, one who had the privilege of enjoying
every known pleasure under the sun. But when he had tried them all, he
sat down and wrote the words you have just read, and also said, 'All is
vanity and vexation of spirit.' Now you have my view of the subject, and
you have Solomon's; but if you are still in doubt, go and pray."

Bessie was not satisfied. She slipped away the second time and fell upon
her knees. She cried, "O Lord, you once answered Gideon with a sign; now
please give me a sign and help me to know whether I should stay at home
or not. If you don't want me to go, make it rain." Though simple and
short, the prayer came from the heart. She was determined to know God's
will concerning her; and to such God never turns a deaf ear.

The next morning she went to the door and looked at the sky. The day was
perfect. The sun was shining brightly, and a cool, gentle breeze was
blowing. Just one tiny cloud was in the sky, and that seemed to be
floating toward the sun. As she watched the cloud, she saw it gradually
increase in size, and at last down came the rain in great drops. Nothing
further was needed to convince Bessie that God wanted her to remain at
home; and now her staying was no longer a cross to her.

She ran to her father and explained that God did not want her to go,
telling him about her prayer and its answer. Her childish words and
simple faith touched her father's proud heart, but all he said was,
"It's all right, Bessie; but you'll go down to the landing and say
good-by to your friends, won't you?"

As she told the girls why she could not go with them and watched the
gay party leave the shore, she was not sad, but happy. She kept thinking
how kind the dear Lord had been to answer her prayer so wonderfully.
When bedtime came, she rested sweetly, having no wounded conscience to
trouble or accuse her.

But how about the excursion party? They had an ideal trip on Lake
Michigan, attended the show, and started to return. The breeze that had
been so gently blowing through the day began to increase at sunset, and
by the late hour of their return it had become a gale. But not realizing
the fierceness of the storm, they started home. When they reached their
own harbor, they found that they could not enter with safety; so they
anchored the boat and spent the remainder of the