She took him up on her lap, and made him lean against her. Something in her eyes must have won him, for he did not generally condescend to notice her; but to-day, whether from a certain unexplainable void in his own little heart, or because his sister looked so very lovingly at him, she could not tell, but he nestled his little head against her so confidingly, that Ada felt it very difficult to go on with her story. At last she said, looking up at them: "But you will think I am never going to begin. "It is a story I once read. I do not know that I can tell it you in the same words, nor do I know where I read it, but I am sure you will like it," she said. "There was once a large vessel. She was making a long voyage, and there were a great many people on board. "She had been driven out of her course by long stress of bad weather, and, unable to reach the port where they usually took in water, the people began to be very short of it. "At first they were reduced to a very small quantity, but as the days passed on they had less and less, and at last every drop of fresh water was gone. "Oh, how desolate and sad were those poor forlorn people! Oh, the terrible pangs which that thirst gave them! "They stood on deck straining their eyes for the sight of land, or for a friendly ship which might give them a little, till they should reach the port. "Worse and worse got that thirst, and as the sun's rays poured down upon them, they would many of them have exchanged their misery for death, if they could have chosen. "At last a sail came in sight. They made signals of distress, and then waited in agony to see if they would be attended to. "Yes; the steamer altered her course and came slowly—oh, so slowly it seemed!—towards them. "The captain had signalled that they were short of water; but as the steamer came nearer, what was the dismay of the despairing crew to find that she was not intending to stop, or put down a boat! "The captain of the distressed ship took a trumpet and shouted, 'Water! Water! We are dying. For mercy's sake give us some water!' "And the captain of the steamer answered back through his trumpet the mocking reply, 'Dip down your buckets and drink!' "On sped the steamer on her way, with her flag gaily flying, while the dying, thirsting people bemoaned themselves in bitter wailing. "Yet thoughts of the captain of the steamer having taken the trouble to come miles out of his way to tell them what he did, came over them. No one would have taken so much trouble were he ever so cruel, they thought. "'Let us try his advice,' said one. "When they drew up the bucket of sparkling water, it was found to be fresh, and clear, and life-giving! "Then the captain knew that they were sailing calmly in the mouth of the great river Amazon, and that while they had been almost dying for want of fresh water, it had surrounded them all the time!" * * * * * * *