good time," said the sailor man. "I am busy now, but by-and-by,
when my work is done, I may perhaps take one of you if you are ready to
learn. Meantime here are some ropes that need knotting; you might be doing
that, since it has to be done." And he showed them how the knots should be
tied, and went away and left them.

When he was gone the first child ran to the window and looked out.

"There is the sea," he said. "The waves come up on the beach, almost to
the door of the house. They run up all white, like prancing horses, and
then they go dragging back. Come and look!"

"I cannot," said the second child. "I am tying a knot."

"Oh!" cried the first child, "I see the boat. She is dancing like a lady
at a ball; I never saw such a beauty. Come and look!"

"I cannot," said the second child. "I am tying a knot."

"I shall have a delightful sail in that boat," said the first child. "I
expect that the sailor man will take me, because I am the eldest and I
know more about it. There was no need of my watching when he showed you
the knots, because I knew how already."

Just then the sailor man came in.

"Well," he said, "my work is over. What have you been doing in the
meantime?"

"I have been looking at the boat," said the first child. "What a beauty
she is! I shall have the best time in her that ever I had in my life."

"I have been tying knots," said the second child.

"Come, then," said the sailor man, and he held out his hand to the second
child. "I will take you out in the boat, and teach you to sail her."

"But I am the eldest," cried the first child, "and I know a great deal
more than she does."

"That may be," said the sailor man; "but a person must learn to tie a knot
before he can learn to sail a boat."

"But I have learned to tie a knot," cried the child. "I know all about
it!"

"How can I tell that?" asked the sailor man.

THE STORY OF JAIRUS'S DAUGHTER[1]

[Footnote 1: This should usually be prefaced by a brief statement of Jesus
habit of healing and comforting all with whom He came in close contact.
The exact form of the preface must depend on how much of His life has
already been given in stories.]

Once, while Jesus was journeying about, He passed near a town where a man
named Jairus lived. This man was a ruler in the synagogue, and he had just
one little daughter about twelve years of age. At the time that Jesus was
there the little daughter was very sick, and at last she lay a-dying.