Faith gave an account of their days since last they met, and from being very bright Charlie's spirits sank, and he began to talk most gloomily.
"It's no use my trying to do anything like other fellows. If God had made me a girl, I shouldn't have minded half so much, but boys are meant to be strong, and I think it's a shame I shouldn't be. I quite hate myself sometimes. If I was meant to be weak and ill, I oughtn't to have been born a boy. It was a big mistake."
"But," said Faith with rather a shocked look, "God borned you, and He can't make mistakes. And I don't see why girls should be ill and not boys. Besides, Charlie, if you aren't strong outside, you can be inside. I was talking with my friend Timothy about you. He said:"
"'It wasn't any odds about the body, it's the soul that really matters.'"
"Don't you like people with strong souls?"
"I don't know what they're like," Charlie said, staring at her.
Faith's eyes grew big and glowed with light as she replied:
"Oh, they're heroes!—Always smiling at difficult days and going straight on with their heads up, even if they're hurt. I've thought about them a lot. And I'm hoping the Comforter will make my soul grow big and strong. I should like never to cry when I'm hurt, and never grumble when things are horrid! And keep smiling even if the whole world turned against me and trampled me down!"
Faith spoke with such fervour that Charlie was much impressed.
She added: