od were again drawing nigh to His world. All the winter through He had
never left it, only had, as it were, been rolling it along the path
before Him; but now had taken it up in His hand, and was carrying it for
a while; and that was how its birds were singing so sweetly, and its
buds were coming so blithely out of doors, and the wind blew so soft,
and the rain fell so repentantly, and the earth sent up such a gracious
odour.

"The year is coming to itself again, Willie--growing busy once more," Mr
Shepherd said.

"Yes," answered Willie. "It's been all but dead, and has come to life
again. It must have had the doctor to it."

"Eh? What doctor, Willie?"

"Well, you know, there is but One that could be doctor to this big
world."

"Yes, surely," returned Mr Shepherd. "And that brings me to what I
wanted to talk to you about. I hear your father means to make a doctor
of you."

"Yes. Isn't it good of him?" said Willie.

"Then you would like it?"

"Yes; that I should!"

"Why would you like it?"

"Because I _must_ have a hand in the general business."

"What do you mean by that?"

Willie set forth Hector Macallaster's way of thinking about such
matters.

"Very good--very good indeed!" remarked Mr Shepherd. "But why, then,
should you prefer being a doctor to being a shoemaker? Is it because you
will get better paid for it?"

"I never thought of that," returned Willie. "Of course I should be
better paid--for Hector couldn't keep a horse, and a horse I must have,
else some of my patients would be dead before I could get to them.
But that's not why I want to be a doctor. It's because I want to help
people."

"What makes you want to help people?"

"Because it's the best thing you can do with yourself."

"Who told you that?"

"I don't know. It seems as if everybody and everything had been teaching
me that, ever since I can remember."

"Well, it's no wonder it should seem as if everything taught you that,
seeing that is what God is always doing--and what Jesus taught us as the
law of His kingdom--which is the only real kingdom--namely, that the
greatest man in it is he who gives himself the most to help other
people. It was because Jesus Himself did so--giving Himself up
utterly--that God has so highly exalted Him and given Him a name above
every name. And, indeed, if you are a good doctor, you will be doing
something of what Jesus did when He was in the world."

"Yes; but He didn't give people medicine t