Edward knelt at his bedside, and Bob, half laughing, followed his example. But Christ must have been praying too, and putting words into Edward's heart to say. By and by, in spite of himself, Bob had to put up his hand and dash away a tear or two. He had never heard himself prayed for before.
That evening was one to be remembered by Bob Turner, for more than one reason. Bay sent for both of the boys to come to his room; he was sick, but not too sick to see and talk with Bob whenever he could get a chance. He made the half-hour spent with him so pleasant, that Bob gave an eager assent to the request that he would come often. More than that, he kept his word; and as often as he passed Edward's door, towards nine o'clock, he stepped lightly, for he knew that he was being prayed for, and there began to come into his heart a strange longing to pray for himself. One evening he discovered that Ray, too, prayed every night for him, and the vague notion grew into a certainty, that what they two were so anxious about for him, he ought to desire for himself.
"Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
Edward had taken this promise into his heart; he was trying to live up to the condition to abide in Christ, and in due season God made His promise sure.
"I wish," Bob said to Ray one evening when the weary head was full of pain,—"I do wish I could do something for you."
"You can," Ray answered quickly,—"something that I would like better than almost anything else in the world."
"What is it?" Bob's question was sincere and eager.
"Give yourself to Christ."
Bob heard this in grave, earnest silence.
"I would," he said after a minute, "if I knew how."