hen again the voice sounded: "Samuel, Samuel."

This time Samuel was listening with all his might, and obediently his
answer rang out fearlessly and clearly--

"Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth."

[Illustration: "I called not, my son."]

God knew that His little servant was fit to be trusted with a message,
although it was a terrible one; and He told Samuel that a dreadful
punishment was to fall upon the old priest Eli and his wicked sons,
and so awful would it be that even the ears of the people who heard
about it should tingle.

There was no more sleep for Samuel that night. God's voice rang in his
ears; his heart was filled with the thought that Eli would ask him
what God had said, and he would have to tell him that dreadful
message.

At last the morning light began to steal in, and it was time to open
the doors of God's house. The little server in his linen ephod was at
his post as usual, but to-day his shining morning face was clouded and
troubled, and there must have been a look of awe in his clear eyes.

The call he dreaded came all too soon, and for the first time the
sound of Eli's voice was unwelcome in his ears.

"Samuel, my son," called the old man.

Immediately Samuel went and stood at his side, "Here am I," he said.

"What is it that the Lord hath said unto thee?" asked Eli. His eyes
were very dim, but he felt sure that the boy had a troubled and
fearful look. "I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and
more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that He
said unto thee."

The very worst must be told, and Samuel knew he must hide nothing now.
He repeated God's message word for word, and Eli bowed his head as he
listened. The poor old priest had been a weak father, but he was a
faithful servant, and knew that God was just.

"It is the Lord," he said: "let Him do what seemeth Him good."

From that day all things were different to Samuel, and year by year as
he grew older he learned more and more to love and serve the God who
had spoken to him and trusted him. So also as the years went by the
people who worshipped at the Temple began to know that the little
child who had been such a faithful server was chosen for a post of
great honour--that he had been called, indeed, to be a prophet of the
Lord.

* * * * *

BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

JOSEPH THE DREAMER

THE BABE IN THE BULRUSHES

DAVID THE SHEPHERD BOY

THE CHILD JESU