"

I cannot say I was Christian enough at the time to acknowledge the truth
of her reply, and I answered, "If God is as good and as gracious as you
say, will He allow us to starve? Does he know that we are starving?"
continued I.

"Does He know, Frank?" replied my mother. "What does the Bible say--
that not a sparrow falls to the ground without His knowledge; and of how
much more worth are you than many sparrows? Shame upon you, Frank!" I
was abashed, but not satisfied; I therefore replied quietly, "We have
nothing to eat, mother."

"Granted that we have lost all our fish, Frank, still we are not yet
starving; the weather may moderate to-morrow, and we may catch some
more, or even if it should not till the day afterwards, we can bear to
be two days without food. Let us hope for the best and put our trust in
God--let us pray to Him and ask him for his assistance. He can rebuke
these stormy waters--He can always find means of helping those who put
confidence in Him, and will send us aid when all hope appears gone.
Pray, Frank, as I will do fervently, and believing that your prayer is
heard--pray with faith, and your prayer will be answered."

"It is not always so," replied I; "you have told me of many people who
have died of starvation."

"I grant it, and for all-wise purposes they were permitted so to do; but
the Almighty had reasons for permitting it, unknown to us, but which you
may depend upon it, were good. We cannot fathom His decrees. He may
even now decide that such is to be our fate; but if so, depend upon it,
Frank, all is right, and what appears to you now as cruel and neglectful
of you, would, if the future could be looked into by us, prove to have
been an act of mercy."

"Do you think, then, that we shall starve?"

"I do not--I have too much faith in God's mercy, and I do not think that
He would have preserved our lives by preventing the men from taking us
into the boat if we were now to starve. God is not inconsistent; and I
feel assured that, forlorn as our present position appears to be, and
tried as our faith in Him may be, we shall still be preserved, and live
to be monuments of his gracious love and kindness."

These words of my mother and the implicit confidence which she appeared
to have, much revived me. "Well," said I, "I hope you are right, my
dear mother; and now I think of it," continued I, brightening up at the
idea, "if the worst come to the worst, we can eat the birds; I don