"You see, the purple camels belonged to the Three Wise Men, the ones who journeyed, after the Star--do you remember? And found the little baby who was the Christ? And because the purple camels had followed the Star, the good Lord said to them, 'Some day you shall journey towards Paradise, and there you shall see the shining souls that dwell in happiness.'" "Do their souls really shine?" Teddy asked. "Yes." "Why?" "Because of the light in Paradise--the warm, sweet light, clearer than the sunshine, Teddy, brighter than the moon and the stars--." The children sighed rapturously. "Go on," Teddy urged. "So the patient camels began their wonderful pilgrimage--they crossed the desert and rounded a curve of the sea, and at last they came to Paradise, and the gate was shut and they knelt in front of it, and they heard singing, and the sound of silver trumpets, and at last the gate swung back, and they saw--what do you think they saw?" "The shining souls," said Teddy, solemnly. "Yes, the shining souls in all that lovely light--there were the souls of happy little children, and of good women, but best of all," his voice wavered a little, "best of all, there were the souls of--brave men." "My father is a brave man." _Was_, oh, little Teddy! "And the purple camels said to the angels who guarded the gate, 'We have come because we saw the little Christ in the manger.' "And the angel said, 'It is those who see Him who enter Paradise,' So the patient purple camels went in and the gates were shut behind them, and there they will live in the warm, sweet light throughout the deathless ages." "What are de-yethless ages, Cousin Derry?" "Forever and ever." "Is that all?" "It is all about the camels--but not all about the shining souls." "Tell us the rest." He knew that he was bungling it, but at last he brought them to the thought of their father in Paradise, because the dear Lord loved to have him there. "But if he's there, he can't be here," said the practical Teddy. "No." "I want him here. Doesn't Mother want him here?" "Well--yes." "Is she glad to have him go to Paradise?" "Not exactly--glad." "Was that why she was crying?" "Yes. Of course she will miss him, but it is a wonderful thing just the same, Teddy, when you think of it--when you think of how your own father went over to France because he was sorry for all the poor little children who had been hurt, and for all the people who had suffered and suffered until it seemed as if they must not suffer any more--and he wanted to help them, and--and--" But here he stumbled and stopped. "I tell you, Teddy," he said, as man to man, "it is going to hurt awfully, not to see him. But you've got to be careful not to be too sorry--because there's your Mother to think of." "Is she crying now?" "Yes. Down there on her bed. Could you be very brave if you went down, and told her not to be sorry?" "Brave, like my Daddy?" "Yes."