wers too. It was Naveena, and there was
a method in her cracks. When Rukma turned to Chellalu, Naveena cracked
her flower. When she turned to Naveena, then Chellalu cracked hers. How
they had eluded the search which precedes admission to the kindergarten
nobody knew; but there they were, each with a goodly handful of bells.
At a word from Rukma, however, they handed them over to her with an
indulgent smile, and even offered to search the other babies in case
they had secreted any; and as I left the room the lesson continued as
before, but the friends' intention was evident: they had hoped to be
turned out together.

CHAPTER XVI

The Neyoor Nursery

"The roads are rugged, the precipices steep; there
may be feelings of dizziness on the heights, gusts
of wind, peals of thunder, nights of awful gloom.
Fear them not!

"There are also the joys of sunlight, flowers such
as are not in the plain, the purest of air,
restful nooks, and the stars smile thence like the
eyes of God."--PERE DIDON (_translated by Rev.
Arthur G. Nash_).

[Illustration: ON THE ROAD TO NEYOOR.]

AND now for a chapter of history. We had not been long at the new work
before we discovered difficulties unimagined before, and impossible to
describe in detail. Some of these concerned the health of the younger
children; and eventually it seemed best to move the infants' nursery to
within reach of medical help, and keep the bigger babies and elder
children, whose protection was another grave anxiety, with us at
Dohnavur.

Shortly before that time we had been brought into touch with the medical
missionaries at Neyoor, in South Travancore. The senior missionary, Dr.
Fells, was about to retire; but his successor, Dr. Bentall, cordially
agreed to let us rent a little house in the village and fill it with
babies, though he knew such a houseful might materially add to the
fulness of his already overflowing day. He, and afterwards Dr. Davidson
(now the only survivor at Neyoor of that kind trio of doctors), seemed
to think nothing a trouble if only it helped a friend. So the little
house was taken and the babies installed.

[Illustration: ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NAGERCOIL, WHERE WE STOPPED TO REST.]

The first day, September 25, 1905, is a day to be remembered. I had gone
on before to prepare the house, and for a day and a half waited in
uncertainty as to what had h