what the rudder is to the boat,
and reason is your pilot. They will guide you aright if you will let
them."

"Mama," said Bessie, "there's a girl in our school, only a few months
older than I, that says she is to be married in a short time. The man
she's to marry is nearly twice as old as she is, too. We told her that
she ought to wait until she wore long dresses before she talked about
getting married. Don't you think that is dreadful?"

"Yes, dear, it is. No girl should ever be married while she is so
young."

CHAPTER XVIII.

ANSWERS TO PRAYER.

During the summer Bessie's cousin John and a boy friend came to visit
her. They spent many pleasant hours on the lake. One day while they were
about two miles from home, a fierce storm arose. They noticed the sky
growing dark and tried very hard to reach home; but, when still some
distance from the shore, they could see that instead of making any
headway they were drifting before the wind.

It was a serious moment. As the great waves dashed up over them, each
adding to the amount of water in the boat, Bessie looked first at her
cousin toiling away at the oars, the great drops of perspiration
coursing down his face, then at their friend nearly wild with terror,
and then at the western sky. "John," said she to her cousin, "I believe
that's rain coming toward us." Until then the boy, who was a little
older than Bessie, had been brave; but as he turned to look, his face
blanched with terror, and he said, "Bessie, if that is rain, it will
certainly sink our boat; for, see, it is nearly half full of water now."

The situation was certainly critical, but Bessie felt that it was not
the time to despair. She remembered that in olden times Jesus had calmed
the sea. Believing that he could still do the same, she prayed for help
from heaven. Then, encouraging her cousin to do his best, she, assisted
by their friend, began to bale out the water as rapidly as they could.
In a few moments the great drops of rain were dashing down upon them.
Without speaking, all kept at their work for what seemed to them an
hour, but which was really but a short time. Suddenly it ceased raining;
and, looking about them, they saw that the lake was perfectly
quiet--not a ripple could be seen. With trembling voice Bessie said,
"John, God must have sent the rain to quiet the water, for I asked him
to help us." It was a very wet but thankful crowd that reached home that
night.

In the spring t