Edred's mind at this moment was working rapidly and following up a
train of thought as fascinating as it was new. He suddenly turned
back to the very beginning of the book, and began reading to
himself some words he found there. Presently he looked up quickly
into his instructor's face.

"Thy words about four channels put me in mind of the four streams
we read of in the beginning, that watered the garden of the Lord.
It seemed to me as if perchance there was some connection betwixt
them--that the Lord's plan has ever been the same. Surely He led
forth the children of Israel through the wilderness beneath four
standards. And here the four streams are all given. But we hear no
more of any of them later, do we, save the river Euphrates. Out of
the four three seem to have been lost," and the boy raised his eyes
with a perplexed expression and looked earnestly at his teacher.

Between those two existed one of those keen bonds of sympathy that
often enable persons to communicate their thoughts without the
medium of words. In a moment the monk had read what was in the
boy's mind, and in a fashion he answered as though Edred had
spoken.

"Thou thinkest that even as some of God's watering rivers ran dry,
so some of His channels of grace, whereby He meant all men to be
replenished with heavenly light and grace, may perchance have
become choked and useless. Is not that thy thought, my son?"

"My father, is it sin thus to think?" asked Edred, almost beneath
his breath. "I cannot shut mine eyes and mine ears. I have heard