played tag or blind man's buff with the boys he was the
most joyful of them. But as soon as he was invited to read from his
precious Book, he obeyed at once and sat among them, as once his Lord
did among learned old men in Jerusalem. On Petrik especially he had a
good influence. Petrik was often self-willed and disobedient, so that
Bacha had to punish him.

"Why should you make Uncle Filina cross? Just tell it to the Lord
Jesus when the Devil is tempting you, and He will deliver you, He will
help you," advised Palko.

Ondrejko became more quiet and thoughtful. He liked the talks with
Palko very much. He believed everything, even that the Lord Jesus is
constantly present. Therefore it is necessary to be always washed and
clean and dressed decently, and also that it is necessary to give
one's heart to the Lord Jesus when He wants it, and that He takes the
heart and cleanses it. Before Palko realized it, the Lord Jesus had
one servant more. And thus His Holy Word was fulfilled; "I thank Thee,
O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes"
(Matt. 11:25). No one can find out how it happens; it passes human
understanding, how the caterpillar in the dried-up cocoon takes a new
life with the arrival of Spring. Before they reached that part in
that precious Book where it begins to tell of the sufferings of and,
finally, the death of the Lord Jesus, Ondrejko felt in his heart that
all happened for him also. He could not quite explain it, and no one
expected him to, but he knew it in his heart.

Once, when he went with Palko to his hut, he prayed that the Lord
Jesus would forgive him everything and asked Him to come into his
heart. Ondrejko thereupon believed without fail that it happened,
because it is still true today, "If thou shalt believe, thou shalt see
the glory of God." Therefore what he believed, he also had. Ondrejko
de Gemer already had suffered much on this earth. He suffered many
heart-aches for the want of a father or mother. Many nights he cried
about it when no one heard him. Very few realize how much pain a
little child may suffer from sorrow and hopelessness from lack of
love. Before Ondrejko came to Filina he often used to wonder what
would become of him, since he had nobody, although both of his parents
were living. Would he always have to live with strange people? A book
could be written of the thoughts of that forsaken li