erely as I deserve," returned Lulu, shaking her head and
sighing; "no not half. There, I can hear Gracie calling me to say
good-night. Excuse me while I run into her room for a few minutes."

She found Grace alone and just getting into bed.

"Where's papa?" Lulu asked.

"Gone down stairs; but he said he'd be back in a few minutes to have his
bit of chat with you in our sitting-room."

"Then I'll just kiss you good night and hurry back to get ready for
him."

When the captain came he found Lulu ready and waiting for him, seated
by the fire with her Bible open in her hand.

"I was learning my verse for to-morrow morning, papa," she said, closing
the book and laying it aside, as she rose to give him the easy chair she
had been occupying.

"That was right," he replied, sitting down and drawing her to his knee;
"one could hardly end the old year, or begin the new, in a better way
than by the study of God's word. Well, has my little daughter anything
particular to say to her father to-night?"

"Only that I wish I'd been a better daughter to you, papa, and that I
hope I shall be this--no next year: the year that's to begin in a few
hours. I do hope that when its last night comes you can say, 'My
daughter Lulu hasn't been once disobedient or in a passion for a whole
year.'"

"It will be a very happy thing for me--for us both--if I can," he said,
"and I am not without hope that it may be so. But my dear child, you
will need constant watchfulness lest your besetting sins overcome you
when you least expect it."

"I wish I could ever get done with the fight," she sighed. "It's such a
hard one."

"Yes, I know, dear child, for I am engaged in the same conflict; but we
must keep on resolutely till the dear Master calls us home.

"But we have the promise of His help all the way, and that we shall be
'more than conquerors through Him that loved us.' And the prize is
eternal life at God's right hand."

"It will be always easy to be good when we get to heaven?"

"Yes; the last remains of the old evil nature will have been taken away,
and we will have no more inclination to sin."

"I am very glad of that! and that God gave me such a good Christian
father to help me in my hard fight! And, papa, I must tell you again
that I am very, very sorry and ashamed because of my naughtiness last
month."

"Dear child, my dear humble penitent little girl!" he said tenderly, "it
was all long since fully and freely forgiven. Now good