[CHAPTER XXI.]
THE LAST WALK.
WHEN Walter closed his little service on the last morning, he looked round on the circle of young faces, and told them he should have to bid them "good-bye."
"This is the last time, dear children, I shall see you all in this world. But we may meet, every one of us, before our Father's throne, if we like.
"We shall be sorry to part; but now I want all of you to go away and work for Jesus, your King. The first work of all is to believe on Him; and having done that, the next work is to keep His commandments, and to be loving to all around you. Then you must pray that He will teach you what else He would like you to do for Him. And He will, children. Every prayer sent straight from your heart to God's ear, and presented in the name of Jesus, is heard, and is answered. So wait patiently for the answer. Now good-bye, my dears; may God bless you all."
He shook hands with them, and many were the loving eyes raised to his face, and many the warm pressures of loving little hands, as the grateful children separated.
"We shall miss you much," said a mother, coming up to Walter. "My children have been so interested since you came, and there has been a different spirit among them."
Walter looked very glad, and he answered pleasantly, "Then you must go on encouraging them. There is nothing like teaching them diligently from the Bible every day."
"I will," answered the mother; "thank you for your kind effort for them."
Several friends gathered round them for a few parting words; and the morning slipped away so fast, that they were quite surprised to find it time to fold up their beach-chairs and start homewards for dinner.