The next day Jonas was surprised by a visit from Rob's mother, who came in search of Rob. "He hasn't been home since he went to school this morning," she said, "and I made sure he'd be here with you, Mr. Jasper; so I looked in to see. But he doesn't seem to be here."
"Not just now, ma'am; but 'tisn't long ago he left. He had a bit of dinner with me, and then he started off, bless his heart! to find a place for me to move into when they turn me out of here. I believe he has walked half over Helmstone at this job. He was at it yesterday, and Phil too, in his spare time; they've taken it on themselves to find out every shed there is, so that I might be fixed up again; but they won't do it, they won't do it;" and Jasper sat down and relapsed into silence.
Mrs. Mellor stood, hardly knowing what to say. Of course she had heard from the boys of Jasper's upset, and was sorry indeed for the old man; so presently she ventured to say as much. "And I'm sure Phil and Rob take it to heart dreadful. I don't know what they'd do without you, Mr. Jasper."
Jonas turned and looked at his visitor. "I don't know what I should do without them," he said. "They're wonderful children, those boys of yours; and if it hadn't been for them, I'd never have known the Saviour came seeking for me. Ah! you don't know what messages the Lord has sent me through them; and when I get to heaven and see the dear Lord for myself, I'll just thank Him that ever He sent them in my way, and I'll ask Him to bless them always. I wonder now if they talk to you as they do to me?"
Mrs. Mellor shook her head, and a tear ran down her cheeks. "They were afraid, poor dears, to say much before their father; he would swear at them so, though Phil often tried to read some of his Bible out loud; but since my husband died they have sung some of their hymns and read to me; only somehow it doesn't seem to have much meaning. It's all real enough to them, and I only wish I was like them, for they are good boys, and no mistake."
"Ah, Mrs. Mellor, you haven't got so many years of sin to look back upon as I have; but the Lord has saved and forgiven me, and He'll do the same for you. Look there!" and Jasper pointed to the Christmas banner; that was the text that made it all plain to me. "'Unto you,' that's me; 'this day,' that's now; 'is born a Saviour,' that's just what I want; and it's for you too, Mrs. Mellor; and you ask the boys to sing to you the hymns they sang to me on Christmas night, and I'm sure He will do as much for you as He did for such a black sinner as me."
Just then Rob arrived, full of excitement because he had seen "the very place that would do for Mr. Jasper." 'Twas much nicer than this, and he must go in the morning and see it, and 'twas quite near the Mission Hall, and would be lovely. And so he rattled on, trying to inspire his old friend with his own eager expectancy.
But after Rob and his mother had gone, and Jasper was alone once more, with his doors closed and the lamp alight, he shook his head and said half aloud, "No, Rob, no; I'm too old to move. I don't know, I'm sure, but 'twill all come right somehow." And then reaching down his Bible, he opened it at its last page, and for a long time sat reading about heaven. "And it's all for me; all ready for me," he whispered. "Lord Jesus, I thank Thee that I'm ready too, washed and white."