water. It was now on the far side of the lake, bucking its way among the old stumps of a submerged forest. “ In the distance a loon seemed gleefully happy about the Lotus boat’s predicament. ‘Ha, ha, ha!’ he screamed at the unhappy excursion- ers. Then, with a dive, he disappeared beneath the waves, only to bob up again on the other side to continue his weird, wild laughter. “ ‘Oh,’ said Lily mournfully as she clung to her brothers and sisters. ‘I wish we could go back home to our quiet inlet!’ “ ‘It’s too late now,’ said the others soberly. ‘Look out! We’re going to hit!’ “ Then it happened! With a heavy jolt, the little craft struck a log, and in an instant the Lotus family was thrown violently into the water, only to sink at once beneath the waves, for they were no swimmers. “ Down, down, Lily sank, past curious fishes who eyed her sus piciously, through forests of green water plants, finally sinking hope lessly into the oozy muck at the lake’s bottom. “ For a long time Lily lay forlornly without seeing or feeling. Why had their happy excursion had such an unhappy end? “ Then one day a little light fil tered through the depths and found her. Miraculously, it seemed to draw her upward. Eagerly, hopefully Lily loosed herself from the muck that held her. Onward and upward she followed the light, through the green forest of water plants that tried to entangle her, past the curious schools of fishes that nibbled at her. “ The day came when she touched the water’s surface and spread out grateful hands in heart-shaped Lotus pads. With joy Lily smiled up into the sunlight and unfolded her beauti ful garments of whitest white and gold. There was no spot in her! No stain from the black muck below! And, as if caressing the dark log that upset them, there were many of Lily’s brothers and sisters nodding to her. The light had found them, and had followed, too!” Th'e girls were silent a moment after Grace had finished. “ I think I understand the secret,” said Vivian softly. “ Jesus is the Light. He shines into the darkest and most sinful places. He even found me!” “ Yes,” said Betty. “ And no matter where we are, if we keep our eyes on Jesus, He will help us grow up pure and beautiful like the lilies.” “ And like Himself, too!” whispered Grace as she breathed in the fragrance of an exquisite blossom. THE KING'S BUSINESS
by Ruth McNoughton water. At last Lily and her brother and sister seeds were off for their long-awaited excursion on the lake. “ For weeks the Lotus house-boat had been in dry-dock, hanging tan- talizingly near the water. But no amount of jumping and jiggling on the part of the young Lotuses seemed able to lower the boat to the water’s level. Until the storm came! Then something had cracked and snapped, and with a terrific splash the boat had fallen free! “ The little Lotuses had enjoyed their initial ducking, and already the morning sun had dried them off, putting them in the mood for fur ther adventure. “ ‘How far shall we be going?’ asked Lily, looking back with some longing toward the quiet inlet that had been their home. “ ‘Who knows? Who cares?’ re plied her fun-loving family, frolick ing dangerously near the open port holes. ‘We’re off at last, and that’s all that matters!’ “ Soon Lily, too, was feeling the gaiety of bobbing along in the bright sunlight, with bluest blue above and bluer blue beneath. *What fun when their little craft surprised a figure-eighting swarm of water-striders, skooting them off in all directions! What adventure when a giant dragonfly made landing on their deck, and, after studying the horizon for some moments through his bulging binoculars, suddenly took off in hot pursuit of a luckless mos quito! “About mid-afternoon, the sun hid beneath a cloud and the breeze quick ened. Faster and crazier the Lotus house-boat drove through the choppy
E Hhappy chapter in the lives I of the group of girls was S coming to an end. As they walked beside the lake, smiles were erased, and in their place were looks of sadness. At the sight of a green and white rowboat, Jean said wistfully, “ Let’s go see the lilies again.” A ll agreed it was a good idea, and they followed their counsellor and were seated in the boat. As the craft sailed lazily toward the lily pool, the girls recalled camp happenings. “ I just hate to think of going home and back to school!” grumbled Betty from the bow. “ The fellows and girls don’t understand when we tell them about Jesus.” “ Yes, and my folks don’t under stand, either,” remarked Vivian from the, back. “ I wish I knew how to be a real Christian in my home. “Maybe the lilies will tell us how, girls,” encouraged Grace, their coun sellor, giving Vivian beside her a little squeeze. “ Jesus once said, ‘Con sider the lilies, how they grow.’ ” “ Aren’t they beautiful and white?” cried Jean as she and Nancy eased the boat alongside the fragrant white cups of gold. “ Tell us about the lilies, Grace,” begged Vivian as she reached out to bring one nearer. “How can they grow up beautiful and clean from the dirty, black muck?” “ See this lily that has gone to seed?” began Grace. “ Soon the pod will be- dry and brittle and will drop off into the water. But let me tell it like a story. “ The little seed-pod house-boat bobbed playfully on the rippling 30
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