I shall never cease to bless God for giving me such a child." "Nor I to thank Him for my dear father," she responded, putting her hand into his, with the very same loving, confiding gesture she had been wont to use in childhood's days.
His fingers closed over it, and he held it fast in a warm, loving grasp, while they continued their talk concerning the things that lay nearest their hearts--the love of the Master, His infinite perfection, the interests of His kingdom, the many great and precious promises of His word--thus renewing their strength and provoking one another to love and to good works.
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it; and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.
"And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." Ere another week had rolled its round, events had occurred which tested the sustaining power of their faith in God, and the joy of the Lord proved to be indeed their strength, keeping their hearts from failing in an hour of sore anxiety and distress.
The evening was bright with the radiance of a full moon and unusually warm for the season; so pleasant was it out of doors that most of our friends preferred the veranda to the cottage parlors, and some of the younger ones were strolling about the town or the beach.
Betty had gone down to the latter place, taking Lulu with her, with the captain's permission, both promising not to go out of sight of home.
"Oh, how lovely the sea is to-night, with the moon shining so brightly on all the little dancing waves!" exclaimed Lulu, as they stood side by side close to the water's edge.
"Yes," said Betty; "doesn't it make you feel like going in ?" "Do people ever bathe at night ?" asked Lulu.
"I don't know why they shouldn't," returned her companion.
"It might be dangerous, perhaps," suggested Lulu.
"Why should it ?" said Betty; "it's almost as light as day.

Oh, Bob," perceiving her brother close at hand, "don't you want to go in?
I will if you will go with me." "I don't care if I do," he answered, after a moment's reflection: "a moonlight bath in the sea would be something out of the common; and there seems to be just surf enough to make it enjoyable." "Yes; and my bathing-suit is in the bath-house yonder.

I can be ready in five minutes." "Can you?
So can I; we'll go in if only for a few minutes.

Won't you go with us, Lulu ?" "I'd like to," she said, "but I can't without leave; and I know papa wouldn't give it, for I had a bath this morning, and he says one a day is quite enough." "I was in this morning," said Bob; "Betty, too, I think, and--I say, Bet, it strikes me I've heard that it's a little risky to go in at night." "Not such a night as this, I'm sure, Bob; why, it's as light as day; and if there is danger it can be only about enough to give spice to the undertaking." With the last word she started for the bath-house, and Bob, not to be outdone in courage, hurried toward another appropriated to his use.
Lulu stood waiting for their return, not at all afraid to be left alone with not another creature in sight on the beach.

Yet the solitude disturbed her as the thought arose that Bob and Betty might be about to put themselves in danger, while no help was at hand for their rescue.
The nearest she knew of was at the cottages on the bluff, and for her to climb those long flights of stairs and give the alarm in case anything went wrong with the venturesome bathers, would be a work of time.
"I'd better not wait for them to get into danger, for they would surely drown before help could reach them," she said to herself, after a moment's thought.