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Shashank Shukla

Practical WebDriverIO
Learn to Automate Effectively Using WebDriverIO
APIs
1st ed.
Shashank Shukla
Mandla, India

Any source code or other supplementary material referenced by the


author in this book is available to readers on GitHub via the book’s
product page, located at www.​apress.​com/​9781484266601. For more
detailed information, please visit http://​www.​apress.​com/​source-code.

ISBN 978-1-4842-6660-1 e-ISBN 978-1-4842-6661-8


https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-6661-8

© Shashank Shukla 2021

This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively
licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is
concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of
illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in
any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and
retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or
dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks,


service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the
absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the
relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general
use.

The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the
advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate
at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the
editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the
material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have
been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional
claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Distributed to the book trade worldwide by Springer Science+Business


Media New York, 1 New York Plaza, New York, NY 10004. Phone 1-800-
SPRINGER, fax (201) 348-4505, e-mail orders-ny@springer-sbm.com,
or visit www.springeronline.com. Apress Media, LLC is a California LLC
and the sole member (owner) is Springer Science + Business Media
Finance Inc (SSBM Finance Inc). SSBM Finance Inc is a Delaware
corporation.
This book is dedicated to my mom and dad for always loving and
supporting me.
Introduction
WebdriverIO is probably the coolest NodeJS-based framework
gathering traction in the market. It has simplified complex, promise-
based testing that stems due to the asynchronous nature of JavaScript
in NodeJS-based frameworks. This tool saves time in automating
websites and is fun to use. This book attempts to condense
WebdriverIO’s API documentation with practical, easy-to-understand
examples. This book is a one-stop reference guide on almost every
desktop API provided by WebdriverIO.
The journey starts with setting up the WebdriverIO test tool. You
learn how to install it and its related dependencies and run a demo spec
file in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2, you learn the methods to locate elements
using various selector strategies provided by WebdriverIO, which are
essential in interacting with web elements.
Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 explore various WebdriverIO API methods
through easy-to-understand examples of automating a variety of user
actions on located elements and the web app. You also learn some of
WebdriverIO’s built-in assertions.
In Chapter 7, you learn the importance of the wait command in
automation testing and implement various wait commands. In Chapter
8, you learn about timeouts. After covering enough groundwork, the
book touches upon various WebdriverIO framework options.
You learn about the page object model design pattern in Chapter 9.
In Chapter 10, you learn about an external assertion library called the
Chai Assertion Library. You then learn about WebdriverIO configuration
settings and how to integrate a reporter and parallelly execute tests in
Chapter 11.
The journey concludes in Chapter 12 by looking at some of the pros
and cons of WebdriverIO.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank all the generous people in the open source
community for tirelessly contributing to making WebdriverIO easy to
use, and helping others implement smarter testing approaches.
I want to thank my wife, Anuja, who encouraged me to write this
book and supported me throughout the writing process, and my son,
Riyaarth, for teaching me not to let “the lack of time” hold me back.
I would also like to thank my test manager, Eileen Stevenson, for her
leadership and guidance, and also my test team, Anju, Gomathi, Shilpa,
Mueez, Sreekanth, Kay and Lucie for always being there to support me.
And lastly, I want to thank my editorial team for their interest and
effort, which fine-tuned and shaped this book.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1:​Getting Started
Introduction
Installation
Prerequisites
Installation process
Additional Information
Summary
Chapter 2:​Web Locators
ID
Syntax
Output
Class
Syntax
Output
Notes
Name Attribute
Syntax
Output
Notes
Tag Name
Syntax
Output
Link Text
Syntax
Output
Note
Partial Link Text
Syntax
Output
Note
Elements with Certain Text
Syntax
CSS Query Selector
Syntax
Output
Note
XPath
Syntax
Output
Note
JS Function
Syntax
Output
Chain Selectors
Syntax
Output
Note
React Selectors
Syntax
Notes
Custom Selectors
Syntax
Output
Notes
Summary
Chapter 3:​Browser APIs
Debugging
Syntax
Output
Notes
Loading URL and Basic Authentication
Output
Notes
Getting a Count of the Elements Returned from an Array of
Elements
Syntax
Output
Notes
Getting the First Element Returned from an Array of Elements
Syntax
Output
Notes
Getting the Text of an Element
Syntax
Output
Notes
Getting the Text of any Element Returned from an Array of
Elements
Syntax
Output
Notes
Getting the Last Element Returned from an Array of Elements
Syntax
Output
Iterating All Elements
Syntax
Output
Notes
Getting All the Links on a Page
Syntax
Code Snippet
Output
Notes
Map Function
Syntax
Output
Notes
Scrolling an Element into View
Syntax
Output
Notes
Click an Element
Syntax
Output
Notes
Double-Click an Element
Syntax
Output
Notes
Right-Clicking an Element
Syntax
Output
Notes
Sending Text to an Input Field
Syntax
Output
Notes
Sending a Text to an Input Field via addValue
Syntax
Output
Sending Keyboard Keys to an Element
Syntax
Output
Notes
Getting the Value of an Element
Syntax
Output
Notes
Clearing the Text Inside an Input Field
Syntax
Output
Hovering the Mouse on an Element
Syntax
Output
Notes
Navigating to a New URL in a Browser
Syntax
Output
Notes
Navigating Back in a Browser
Syntax
Output
Notes
Navigating Forward in a Browser
Syntax
Output
Refreshing a Web Page
Syntax
Output
Notes
Restarting a Browser
Syntax
Output
Getting and Setting Window Size and Position
Syntax
Output
Notes
Getting Element Size
Syntax
Output
Notes
Maximizing the Browser
Syntax
Output
Notes
Minimizing the Browser
Syntax
Output
Notes
Browser Fullscreen Mode
Syntax
Output
Opening a New Window
Syntax
Output
Notes
Getting the URL of the Current Page
Syntax
Output
Sending JavaScript to do a Task:​Vanilla JS Code
Syntax
Output
Notes
Sending JavaScript to do a Task:​Handling Datepicker
Syntax
Output
Notes
Taking a Full-Page Screenshot
Syntax
Output
Notes
Switching Between Windows
Syntax
Output
Notes
Switching Between Frames
Syntax
Output
Notes
Closing the Page
Syntax
Output
Notes
Closing the Browser
Syntax
Output
Notes
Alerts:​Accepting an Alert
Syntax
Output
Notes
Alerts:​Dismissing an Alert
Syntax
Output
Notes
Alerts:​Sending a Message to an Alert
Syntax
Output
Notes
Alerts:​Reading an Alert Message
Syntax
Output
Notes
Selecting from a Drop-Down
Syntax
Output
Drag and Drop
Syntax
Output
Notes
Uploading a File
Output
Notes
Submitting a Form
Notes
Display Cookies
Syntax
Output
Notes
Delete Cookies
Syntax
Output
Notes
Set Cookies
Syntax
Output
Notes
Geolocations
Syntax
Output
Notes
Summary
Chapter 4:​Element APIs and WebdriverIO Assertions
Is the Element Present?​:​isExisting( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Present?​:​toExist( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Present?​:​toBePresent( )
Syntax
Output
Note
Is the Element Present in DOM?​:​ToBeExisting( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Enabled?​:​IsEnabled( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Enabled?​:​toBeEnabled( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Disabled?​:​toBeDisabled( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Visible?​:​isDisplayed( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Visible?​:​toBeDisplayed( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Visible?​:​toBeVisible( )
Syntax
Output
Is the Element Visible on the screen?​:​toBeDisplayedInV​
iewport( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Visible on the Screen?​:​toBeVisibleInVie​wport( )
Syntax
Output
Is the Element Selected?​:​isSelected( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Selected?​:​toBeSelected( )
Syntax
Output
Is the Element Selected?​:​toBeChecked( )
Syntax
Output
Is the Element Clickable?​:​isClickable( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
Is the Element Clickable?​:​toBeClickable( )
Syntax
Output
Notes
To Sum It Up
Summary
Chapter 5:​Additional WebdriverIO Methods
Is the Element Focused?​:​isFocused
Syntax
Output
Note
Is the Element Focused?​:​toBeFocused
Syntax
Output
Note
Does the Element Have a Specific Attribute?​:​toHaveAttribute
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Have a Specific Attribute?​:​toHaveAttr
Syntax
Output
Does the Element Contain a Specific Text Attribute?​:​
toHaveAttributeC​ontaining
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Have a Specific Class?​:​toHaveClass
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Contain Specific Text in Class?​:​
toHaveClassConta​ining
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Have a Specific Property?​:​toHaveElementPro​
perty
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Have a Specific Value?​:​toHaveValue
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Have a Specific href?​:​toHaveHref
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Contain a Specific Text in the href?​:​
toHaveHrefContai​ning
Syntax
Output
Does the Element Have a Specific Link?​:​toHaveLink
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Contain a Specific Text in the Link?​:​
toHaveLinkContai​ning
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Have a Specific Text?​:​toHaveText
Syntax
Output
Notes
Does the Element Contain a Specific Text?​:​toHaveTextContai​
ning( )
Syntax
Output
Does the Element Have a Specific ID?​
Syntax
Output
Element Count
Syntax
Output
Notes
To Sum It Up
Summary
Chapter 6:​Other Useful APIs
Dealing with a Shadow DOM
Syntax
Output
Getting the Page Source
Syntax
Output
Getting an Active Element
Syntax
Output
Getting the Property of an Element
Syntax
Output
Getting the CSS Property of an Element
Syntax
Output
Getting the Tag Name of an Element
Syntax
Output
Getting the Location of an Element
Syntax
Output
Getting the Size of an Element
Syntax
Output
Getting the HTML Build of an Element
Syntax
Output
Summary
Chapter 7:​Waits
Hard and Explicit Waits at a Glance
Hard Sleep
Syntax
Output
Wait for an Element to Be Clickable
Syntax
Output
Wait for an Element to Be Displayed
Syntax
Output
Wait for an Element to Be Enabled
Syntax
Output
Wait for an Element to Exist
Syntax
Output
Wait Until
Syntax
Output
Summary
Chapter 8:​Timeouts
Setting and Getting Various Timeouts
Output
Session Implicit Wait Timeout
Session Page Load Timeout
Output
Session Script Timeout
WebdriverIO-related Timeouts:​waitforTimeout
Output
Framework-related Timeouts
Summary
Chapter 9:​Framework Options and Design Patterns
Introduction to Frameworks
WebdriverIO with Cucumber
WebdriverIO with TypeScript
WebdriverIO with Jasmine
WebdriverIO with Mocha
Design Pattern Introduction
base.​js
login.​page.​js
landing.​page.​js
example.​e2e.​js
Summary
Chapter 10:​Assertions
Determining If Strings Match by Value
Determining If Strings Match by Value and Type
Determining If a Value Is Truthy
Determining If a Value Is Falsy
Determining If a Value Is Equal (=​=)​
Determining If a Value and Type Both Are Equal (=​==
​ )​
Determining If a Value Is Not Equal (=​=)​
Determining If a Value and Type Are Not Equal (=​=)​
Determining If a Value Is Higher Than Expected
Determining If a Value Is Lower
Determining If Expected Is True
Determining If Expected Is False
Determining If Expected Result Is an Array
Determining If an Actual Result Is a String
Determining If an Array Contains a Value
Verifying the Length of an Array
Summary
Chapter 11:​Configuration File
Runner
Specs
Exclude
logLevel
Services
Reporters
Capabilities
Summary
Chapter 12:​Conclusion
Advantages of WebdriverIO
Disadvantages of WebdriverIO
Challenges of Using WebdriverIO
Index
About the Author
Shashank Shukla
has been working in software testing for
more than a decade and is passionate
about tools and technologies that can be
leveraged to enrich the testing
experience and optimize the quality of
delivery. This is his first book.
About the Technical Reviewer
Kanika Sud
has been working on the Web for more
than ten years. Her work spans
enterprise CMSes in Java, back-end
technologies in the LAMP stack, and the
MEAN stack. She has also worked on
open source e-commerce CMSes and UX
strategy. Solution design remains her
favorite job. Market research on mobile
apps and plugins led her to experiment
with a bootstrapped technology startup
called Codnostic Solutions. Find her on
LinkedIn at
www.linkedin.com/in/kanikasud
.
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CHAPTER XIX.
"SHE WAS SENT ME BY GOD."

"PUT away that work, child," said a clean-looking elderly


woman, who was carrying a saucepan across a bright little
kitchen.

She placed it on a very small fire, and turning round,


faced a young woman in black, who was bending over some
fine needlework in the window.

"Not till you are ready for me, mother," she returned,
without raising her eyes.

"Take a run down the garden, child," still persisted the


older woman; "you will not lose any time for it in the end."

Yielding to this second injunction, the young woman


folded up her work quickly and carefully, and placing it in a
little covered basket in the windowsill, she turned to the
door which led straight from the kitchen into the garden.

Just in the doorway, looking very sweet and clean, but


rather thin, sat a little girl of four years old.

"Why, Maggie," she said, "I did not know you were
there. Come and have a run with mother."

"Oh, yes, mother, but Maggie wants her dinner!"

"And Maggie shall have it," said the young mother,


bending her golden head down over the child with a fond
embrace, "grandmother is getting it ready."

Thus assured, the child raced down the little garden,


and her mother, not yet twenty-four years old, ran after her
till she caught her.

Then they sat on a little bench under an apple-tree, and


Maggie climbed up in her mother's lap, and laid her head on
her bosom. It seemed a place well-known; and when the
young woman softly began talking, the child did not seem
surprised, but raised her eyes and listened.

"Long ago, Maggie, there was a poor woman. She was


very poor indeed; but she had one thing that made her
rich."

"Was it a shilling?" asked Maggie.

"No; it was something I have, something I love best in


the world next to God."

"That's me!" said Maggie, nodding.

"Yes, you; and this poor widow had a boy, just only
one."

"I'm glad she had," said Maggie, "'cause that would


comfort her."

Her mother pressed her closely. "Well, they were very


poor, so poor that at last they had only a little flour and a
little oil left."

"What was oil for?"

"Like butter, to make it nice with."

"Oh!"
"Just as they were gathering some sticks to make a fire
to bake their last little loaf, a man came up and asked the
woman to fetch him some water.

"In the country where they lived, Maggie, people could


not get water everywhere, and he had been a long journey,
and was very thirsty. So she went directly to get him some;
but he called her back, and said he was hungry too, would
she give him some bread?"

Maggie's eyes looked sorrowful. "Poor woman, she had


not much herself."

"No; and she explained this to the man; but he


promised her in the name of the Lord God of Israel, whom
he served, that if she would do as he asked, she should
never want as long as the famine lasted."

"What is a famine?" asked Maggie.

"When people have eaten up all the bread there is, and
there is no more, even in the shops."

"How dreadful!" exclaimed Maggie.

"Very," said her mother.

"But this poor woman believed that the Lord could do


what He said, and every time she went to the barrel of flour,
she found just as much in it as there was before; and so
there was in the bottle of oil, it never wasted away."

"That was nice!" exclaimed Maggie.

"Yes; the Lord took care of them; and the prophet


Elijah, for that was the man's name, and the widow, and
her son, had enough to eat all the time."
"There is grandmother clapping her hands for us,
mother."

"So she is; come along."

The child needed no second bidding, and they were


soon seated round the table, on which stood one covered
dish and three plates, and a salt-cellar.

The grandmother rose, and the others rose too, as was


their custom. "Father," she said, "we thank Thee that Thou
has kept Thy promise to us, and given us our daily bread;
may we have contented hearts to serve Thee, for Jesus'
sake. Amen."

Then the grandmother uncovered a large dish of


steaming, floury potatoes, and helped them round. It was a
simple meal; but it was cooked beautifully, and was served
clean and hot. The colour came into the younger woman's
cheeks as she ate.

"Nice potatoes, aren't they?" said her mother.

"Beautiful! You do boil them well, mother."

The moment the frugal dinner was over, the young


woman took up her work and diligently went on with it;
while the grandmother arrayed Maggie in a fresh pinafore,
and sent her off to the village school; after which she
washed up the few plates, and swept up the kitchen.

"I wish, child," said the woman, "you could get


something to do that tried your eyes less, and that paid you
better."

"So do I, mother," she answered, passing her hand over


her eyes wearily; "but I do not hear of it."
"I am afraid this hard fare is injuring your health,
Margaret; you have not been brought up to it, and it makes
such a difference."

"I do not mind it, mother, so long as we can all keep


together."

"But I do; what would our Jack say if he saw your thin
checks?"

"He is not here to see," said the girl, lowering her head,
while there was a sound of distress in her voice.

"No, my blossom; if he were here to see, he would soon


alter it; but God has taken him from us. Still, child, we must
be wise and do the best we can. You see you have been
used to service all your life till you married my Jack, and I
can't help thinking it would suit you better than this close
needlework."

"But there's my Maggie!"

"True, I don't forget her; but you could earn good


wages as a nurse, child. There's Mary at Mrs. Arundel's,
how nice she gets on."

"But I should have to leave my Maggie," said Margaret,


shaking her head; "I don't think I could do that, mother,
even with you."

"I would take good care of the child, that you know. And
my little bit of washing would keep the home over our
heads; if only I could get more of it."

"Yes; there is nothing to be got in our village; but,


mother, she was sent me by God, and while He gives me
strength, I will try to bring her up for Him. No one must
take my duty while He spares me."

"So be it, Margaret; then we must wait God's time. We


have never really wanted yet."

That evening as they sat at tea, which was their


favourite meal, the postman came up the garden. "Why
here's a letter from Mary!" exclaimed the grandmother
joyfully. "I didn't expect one to-day."

"So it is; and it is for me, mother."

"Well, to be sure; what does she say, child?"

The younger woman read—

"My dear Margaret,—Our young lady, Miss


Nellie, came into my nursery last night, and she
says, 'Mary, have not you a sister-in-law, a
widow, with one little girl?'

"Of course I said, 'Yes.' And she asked a lot of


questions about you and Maggie; and then she
says, 'Do you think she would be willing to take
a nurse's place, where there might be nine or
ten little children?'

"I said you would not leave Maggie; and she


says quickly, 'Oh, no! I never meant her to; she
would bring Maggie with her, and Maggie would
be brought up with the other children.'

"I suppose it is some sort of school; but Miss


Nellie did not explain. She said I might write
and ask you; and if you were pleased at it, her
friend (that's Miss Arbuthnot, I fancy) would
pay your fare to come and see her.

"What do you think of it, dear sister-in-law?


Please write and tell me at once.

"Give my love to dear mother. We are going


home in two or three days now; but we are
very happy, and all are well, as I hope this finds
you.

"Your affectionate sister,

"MARY
FENTON."

The grandmother sat during the reading of the letter


with wide staring eyes.

"Praise the Lord!" she said. "Praise the Lord!"

Margaret's tears were falling fast and bright; and the


letter was in danger of being obliterated.

"If it is all it looks, mother," she said, "it is like the


barrel of meal and the cruse of oil."

"It is, my child. 'Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth
for ever.'"
CHAPTER XX.
THE HAY-LOFT.

"ONLY four days more, and here is a soaking wet one!"


exclaimed Ada dolefully at breakfast one morning. "What
shall we do with ourselves, Arthur?"

"I can't conceive," said Arthur; "what can you suggest,


mamma?"

"Have you thought of the hay-loft?"

"Ah, capital!" exclaimed Arthur. "And Mrs. Ross said we


might go there when we liked, but we have only been
once."

"Well, mind, if you do, you shut down the trap-door


safely; and I shall have to come and see the little ones
safely up and down the ladder."

"I'll do that," said Walter; "when you are all ready to go


up, I'll come."
They were soon assembled, with two balls and several
books; and Walter helped them whisk across the dripping
wet rick-yard, and helped them all carefully up the ladder.

"Now," he called, "if any of you get tired and want to


come in, Arthur is to fetch Nellie or mamma; mind! I am
going down to the reading room."

A grand romp was the first excitement in the hay-loft,


and the enraptured children climbed up the hay, first up,
one following another in clambering, and then sliding down
the steepest place they could find—one after another, one
after another, some feet first, some head first, some rolling
and tumbling in wild frolic. Dolly soon got into the wars, and
had to be comforted by Ada before they could go on
playing; but when her tears ceased to flow, they set off
again, and shouts and screams were all that could be heard.

At eleven o'clock, Nellie made her way across in the rain


with a large jug of milk, and began calling at the foot of the
ladder. Bump, bump, bump, went the feet overhead; shout,
shout, shout, went the voices. It was of no use; she set
down her jug and went back to the house.

"I can't get them to hear; you never heard such a


commotion in your life, mamma; what shall I do?"

"Take the bell," suggested Mrs. Arundel.

So Nellie again set forth, and this time with more


success. A tinkle of the bell was heard between the up and
down rush, and Arthur hastened to the trap-door and
looked down.

"Hurrah!" he shouted. "Here's lunch, I do declare, and


dear Nell."
"Yes; here it is! And a nice dance you have led me," she
answered good-naturedly. "Now is anybody tired, and
wishing to come down?"

"Oh, no!" answered everyone. And several very flushed


and rosy faces peeped cautiously through the trap-door.

"That's all right," said Nellie. "Now here is a stock of


bread and butter, and plenty of milk; and it is of no use
your wanting more, for you won't get it!"

With these words, she handed the jug to Arthur, who


had descended a few steps to reach it, and then the bread
and butter, and a mug, and nodding at them, she turned
away, telling them to remember their rule.

Lunch was very acceptable, and the children found that


they were both hungry and thirsty. They all sat down on
various comfortable trusses of the sweet hay, and began to
find out that they were also tired as well as hungry and
thirsty.

"I shan't play any more," said Ada, when lunch was
finished; "it's too hot; but we have had a jolly game."

"Lovely; but what can we do?" said Arthur.

"I'll read to you?" said Ada.

"No; tell us a story."

"Oh, Ada, do!" exclaimed the little ones.

"All right; then you must all lie down and be very still,
and I'll shut my eyes and begin."
They soon settled themselves;
even Arthur was not sorry to hear a story.

They soon settled themselves; even Arthur was not


sorry to hear a story, because, as he said, "he had read all
their books through and through; but this was sure to be
something quite fresh."

Ada's Story
"I saw in my dream a lovely valley. The mountains on
either side were grand and picturesque. The rocks, ferns,
and trees filled the eye with beauty and freshness. I heard
the sound of splashing water, and turning round to see
where it came from, I perceived a waterfall, and by the side
of it a boy, stooping to drink of the clear stream.

"'This is an exquisite spot,' I said to him; and he raised


his eyes and looked at me surprised.

"'Do you not like it?' I asked.

"'I do not care about it,' he said, sighing; and turning


rather abruptly, he walked on.

"I noticed in my dream that he appeared not to be as


straight and beautiful as I had first thought; for his back
seemed misshapen, and I wondered if that was why he
looked so sad.

"Just at this moment a little girl came in sight leading a


baby-child. She was pulling it along roughly, and every now
and then she gave it a little shake. 'What a plague you are,'
she said angrily; 'I wish I could do anything else but lead
you.'

"The child sobbed and moaned, and then began pushing


away the hand that so rudely hurt it. 'I am tired,' it said
wearily, 'and I can't get along. Why do you pull me so,
sister?'

"The girl moved vexedly, and as she moved, I saw that


she too seemed to have something on her shoulders under
her dress.

"'What can it be?' I thought.


"A young woman now appeared, and besides the baby
on her bosom, I saw she too had a burden to carry.

"A burden! Ah, that must be it! Poor things! Poor things!

"I was not near enough to ask them about it, so I still
went on thinking. By-and-by two boys came up. They, were
very disfigured by their burdens, and yet they seemed not
to be troubled about it themselves, but were chatting gaily.

"'We will have a bath in this stream,' they said. So they


cast aside their clothes; but, to my horror, I saw that each
one carried his burden into the water with him—they could
not take them off.

"My heart bled for them; so I drew nearer, and when


they came out of the stream I said—

"'Have you no means of laying down those burdens,


even for an instant?'

"They laughed carelessly. 'Burdens? Nonsense; we were


born as we are, what need to change? We don't care; let us
be happy while we can.' They hastened away, and I fell to
musing deeply.

"Presently a lovely lady and a girl came in sight, and I


noticed at once that the lady appeared to have no burden at
all, while the child's was large and heavy.

"'Do not walk on the stones, my dear,' I heard the lovely


lady say in a gentle voice, 'you will hurt your feet.'

"'I do not think I shall,' answered the girl, not altering


her course.
"'I am sure you will, my dear,' answered her mother—
for I took them to be mother and child.

"In a few moments the girl stumbled and fell; and her
mother, full of tenderest pity, raised her, comforted her, and
did what she could for her. But I noticed that somehow the
burden always seemed in the way, and when the lady would
have drawn the girl to rest on her bosom, the burden got
between them, and the girl hastily pushed herself away.
Then the mother went to the stream and fetched some clear
water, and bathed her child's bruised foot, and by-and-by
was so successful that the girl fell asleep with her head
resting on a grassy mound. Then I ventured to speak.

"'You have no burden,' I said softly; 'how is it that all I


see here have them?'

"She sighed deeply, and glanced at her child. 'They


need not,' she said.

"'Is there a way to get rid of them, then?' I asked.

"'Certainly; did you not know?'

"'I am a stranger here.'

"'Yes, they can get rid of them,' she resumed, 'there is


one way to do it.'

"'How is that?' I asked; 'and why do not all?'

"'It is very strange they do not. There is a stream not


far from here; they have only to plunge in it, and the
burden falls off, melts away. Only the way to it is narrow,
and does not look inviting; but, oh, it is very different when
you get to it!'
"'Really? And did you plunge in it?'

"'Yes, indeed. The King of this country has made it so.


These burdens were fastened on at birth by His enemy, and
as we grow they grow; and each year we carry them they
get heavier and heavier, so that sometimes a very large
burden has to be carried by a very weak person. No water
that was in this land could cause these burdens to melt
away; for it must be dyed with blood.'

"'With blood?' I asked.

"'Yes, with the blood of His own Son. But the King had
pity; it was so sad to see the poor people living all their
lives with these great burdens; and as the Son was willing
to shed His life-blood, the King gave Him up.

"'So the stream I speak of is dyed with blood. Many


shrink back for this very reason, and will have nothing to do
with it; but when one thinks it is the only way to get rid of
the burden, and that bathing in it gives an entrance to the
King's palace at the end of the journey here, and that it is
given to us at such a price—'

"'Of course, there is every reason to accept it; gratitude


alone would be enough.'

"At this moment the girl woke. 'My foot hurts me,' she
exclaimed, fretfully, 'and I cannot lie comfortably because of
my burden. How I hate it!'

"'My dear,' said her mother soothingly, 'let us go to the


stream; you could lose it there, if you would, in a moment.'

"The girl shook her head. 'I don't see how,' she said,
'and the stream looks so cold and dark. Let us go on our
journey, mother.'
"So I saw that the mother could not put her in without
her own consent; she could only lead her to it.

"When I next saw the travellers, it was in a different


part of the King's country. Before me was a turning, narrow
and steep, that led down to a dark water. 'This must be the
blood-dyed river,' I thought.

"A voice said to me, 'You can follow them, and look.'

"This narrow way was very short, oh, very short indeed
so near that no one could think the journey too hard, that
the most weary feet could have no excuse. It was only one
step, but still it was narrow.

"First the boy, who had drunk at the stream, got to the
place, and he read, engraved on the rock at the entrance,
'Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and
I will give you rest;' signed with the King's name. He looked
at the words earnestly, then he shifted his burden upon his
shoulders, and was just turning away, when he thought he
would read them once more. He did so; they were very
sweet, and he stepped into the narrow path and stood at
the edge of the water. When there, he could not help
hearing some words which a King's messenger kept on
repeating over and over, 'He was wounded for our
transgressions, and with His stripes we are healed.' So he
plunged in, and, lo! The water which had looked so dark
before seemed to be a silver stream, giving life, and health,
and peace.

"Then he felt on his shoulders for the burden, and found


it had melted all away.

"'I could stay here for ever!' he exclaimed joyfully.

"'Go and tell others,' said the messenger.


"The boy hastened to obey, and when he reached the
valley, he soon met the girl and the child.

"'Go and bathe there,' he said, pointing; 'you will not be


tired any more.'

"'Yes I shall, I expect,' said the girl; 'but come along


faster, child, and let us see.'

"And she read the words; then she remembered the


radiant look of the boy, and knew there must be something
in it, and she turned down to the stream.

"'I want not to be tired,' said the weary little child; 'may
I dip too?'

"'I suppose so,' said the girl; and with her aching heart,
and her cross temper, and her heavy burden, she dipped,
and came back relieved of all.

"The little child too stepped in—for it is never too deep,


and never too shallow.

"'Who made the stream?' it asked.

"'The King,' answered the girl.

"'He is kind,' said the baby-child, plunging under the


refreshing wave; 'I love Him!'

"My dream seemed to change here, and I could not see.


When I opened my eyes again, I saw the young mother
walking on, still with her babe and her burden: she had not
been to the stream, alas!

"Soon the two boys came up. 'Who ever heard of such a
thing?' they jeered. 'We do very well as we are!' And they
passed on, and I saw them no more.

"At last I noticed the lady who had no burden come


close to where I stood looking. Her daughter's was such a
heavy one, she could hardly get along. She limped with her
sore foot, and her burden had grown quite twice the size
since I saw her last. She was pettish and cross; but she
excused herself because her burden was so heavy, and
made her more miserable than ever. She came near too,
and read the words.

"'I am heavy laden,' she said; 'and now I have come


again so close to the stream, I really must plunge in and
lose my burden, for it is heavier than I can bear.'

"So she stepped into the narrow way. Her loving mother
was close to her—so patient, so good! Her burden pressed
hard; she heard the words of the messenger, and believed
they were true; so she too plunged in. When she lifted her
head from that wave of blood, her burden had slipped off
for ever."

* * * * * *

Ada paused. The children were gazing on her face, for


they saw her eyes were full of tears.

"Children," she said softly, "that girl was Ada Arundel.


Her burden was Sin, and the blood of Jesus has taken it all
away! Will you not plunge in the stream too?"

"I will!" said Netta, looking up earnestly.

"And so should I like to," said Isabel. "Can we, Ada?"

"Everyone can who has got a burden. Ah, do, dears; I


wish I had sooner!"
Arthur got up from the hay, and walking straight over to
Ada's side, laid his hand on her shoulder with unusual
solemnity. "Ada," he said, "we will set out on the journey
together. I did so hope and pray that you might as well as I,
and now you have."

CHAPTER XXI.
THE LAST WALK.

WHEN Walter closed his little service on the last


morning, he looked round on the circle of young faces, and
told them he should have to bid them "good-bye."

"This is the last time, dear children, I shall see you all in
this world. But we may meet, every one of us, before our
Father's throne, if we like.

"We shall be sorry to part; but now I want all of you to


go away and work for Jesus, your King. The first work of all
is to believe on Him; and having done that, the next work is
to keep His commandments, and to be loving to all around
you. Then you must pray that He will teach you what else
He would like you to do for Him. And He will, children. Every
prayer sent straight from your heart to God's ear, and
presented in the name of Jesus, is heard, and is answered.
So wait patiently for the answer. Now good-bye, my dears;
may God bless you all."

He shook hands with them, and many were the loving


eyes raised to his face, and many the warm pressures of
loving little hands, as the grateful children separated.

"We shall miss you much," said a mother, coming up to


Walter. "My children have been so interested since you
came, and there has been a different spirit among them."

Walter looked very glad, and he answered pleasantly,


"Then you must go on encouraging them. There is nothing
like teaching them diligently from the Bible every day."

"I will," answered the mother; "thank you for your kind
effort for them."

Several friends gathered round them for a few parting


words; and the morning slipped away so fast, that they
were quite surprised to find it time to fold up their beach-
chairs and start homewards for dinner.

"We must go and see the sunset to-night from our cliff,"
said Walter. "Mamma, will you go?"
"I should very much like it; but I know I shall be too
tired with packing."

"You will go with us, I hope?" said Walter, turning to


Christina.

"Oh, certainly! I should be very sorry to miss it; and we


shall have a beautiful sunset, I believe, by the look of the
day."

"Then we will all come," said Nellie; "and mamma will


allow Netta and Isabel for once."

"Very well," said mamma, "if they are not sleepy."

The afternoon was spent by all in busy packing—a very


different affair from the coming packing; for this time there
was only, as Arthur said, "to stuff in all their possessions."
Everything must go home. The rooms looked very empty
and forlorn by tea-time; and the young people professed to
be very tired, "but not too tired to go out; oh, dear, no!"

When they arrived at the piece of breezy cliff which


jutted out into the sea, and looked round, it appeared to
them all that on this last evening the ocean seemed more
blue, more lovely than usual. Arthur was looking at it a little
discontentedly; Ada was thinking how much had happened
since she had come there, and with what a changed and
thankful heart she would go home; Nellie felt her sorrow
revived as she gazed on the boundless expanse; and
Christina was thinking deeply and lovingly of her plans. And
Walter? Where were his thoughts?

"Shall we sing?" he said presently.

They all assented heartily, and sang over some of the


hymns which had become so very familiar during the last
month. Then the conversation fell naturally into the
discussion of some of Christina's projects, and she told
them of a talk she had had with Mrs. Ross about Alfy, and
how she had obtained a willing consent to let him go to her,
promising that he should come down to see his
grandparents every now and then.

"They are really well enough to do to put him to


school," said Walter; "your home is not meant for children
of that class exactly, is it?"

"No," said Christina; "but I have a feeling, that


whatsoever my hand finds to do, I must do it; that is,
wherever there is a child in need of care and training who
comes under my notice, I must not refuse."

"You are right, I believe," said Walter; "all these little


ones have souls, and it is not the will of our Father that one
of them should perish."

Meanwhile the time slipped by, while the sun, waiting


for no one, slowly and majestically dipped into the sea.

"I am so fond of these words," Walter said, addressing


Christina; "there is infinite comfort in them. 'Thy sun shall
no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself:
for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of
thy mourning shall be ended.'"

"Yes, they are beautiful," she answered softly; while her


eyes watched the last streak of light go down, all too
quickly.

"It is gone!" said Arthur.

"Yes," answered Walter, starting up; "let us have one


walk along the shore."
"Come, Ada," said Arthur, catching her hand, and then
Nellie's, "come, let us have a race down the cutting for the
last time; 'little ones,' you catch us."

Nellie would have preferred to stay with the others, but


some intuition made her run down to the beach after the
young ones.

"Forsaken!" said Walter with a smile. "We must follow,


but we will not go so fast."

Christina got up, and they stood still for a moment


looking at the sunset sky.

"You have laid out very different plans for yourself from
those I had been laying out for you, Christina," said Walter
rather huskily, turning towards the descent.

"You had made for me?" she said, looking up; then
seeing something unexpected in his face, she exclaimed
hastily, "Oh, please—please don't!"

"Yes, dear Christina, I must. You will be so very kind as


to hear me patiently."

"But it is of no use; and, oh, if you would not say it! I


never dreamed of hurting you, Walter."

He paused an instant. "The worst pain is past, Christina.


At first I thought I could get over it; but that is of no use; I
have given you the love of all my life."

"I cannot return it," she answered in a stifled voice.

"Not now, I know that; but by-and-by, when I come


back from India."
"Oh, Walter!" she exclaimed sorrowfully, "I would do
anything for you but that."

"And anything but that will not do," he said gently and
gravely.

They stood now at the edge of the waves, the spray


almost touching their feet, and they were both silent. Walter
knew it would be of little use to hurry or distress her, and
yet he wanted her to understand that this hope was very
near to his heart. At last he told her so, and Christina stood
listening, not knowing what to answer.

"Say you will think of it, dear Christina," were his final
words.

"I have undertaken my children," she said, hesitating.

"I know; but three years is a long time, and we can


provide for them then, if—"

"If I could ever think of such a thing; but I do not think


I ever can."

"No need to say now," he said earnestly; "we can pray


about it, dear Christina; and you know I speak truthfully
when I say that I would not wish to do it, if it were not His
will."

"Oh, yes!" said Christina.

They turned homewards now without further speech.

Walter's feelings were very mingled, and he did not


seem to have gained as much as he wanted.
"I do not know what I shall do with only this slight hope
for three years," he exclaimed at length, as if forced to say
the words.

And Christina burst into tears.

"Dear!" he said, "I was wrong to want to hurry you;


forgive me."

"Do not talk any more about it, Walter," she said in a
broken voice; "I will promise to think of it at any rate."

"I must be satisfied with that," he answered; "but think


kindly and tenderly, dear."

"I will, I will," she said, weeping afresh.

So Walter said his say, and went home to the farm that
night more dejected than he had been once since his return
from London; and not all Nellie could do to cheer him was of
any avail.

"She will decide against me," he said.

He went early to his room, and locked the door on


himself and his grief. Well was it for him that he could not
exclude that ever-present Comforter, who is with us in spite
of bars and bolts, and who is acquainted with the most
secret chambers of our inmost hearts.

"And if in lonely places, a fearful child, I shrink,


He prays the prayers within me I cannot ask or
think;
The deep unspoken language, known only to
that love
Who fathoms the heart's mystery from the
throne of light above.
His Spirit to my spirit sweet words of comfort
saith,
How God the weak one strengthens who leans
on Him in faith;
How He hath built a city of love, and light, and
song,
Where the eye at last beholdeth what the heart
had loved so
long."

Before Walter slept that night, he had received help and


comfort.

"'He knoweth the way that I take: when He


hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.'"

He read out of his precious Bible; and, like a little child,


he placed his hand in that of his Father, and was at peace.
CHAPTER XXII.
HOME AGAIN AT NO. 8.

"SO I have all my flock safe," said Dr. Arundel, glancing


round the table where the greater portion of his family were
assembled. Even Tom had petitioned to come down to tea
for once, and poor little Dolly's eyes had looked very wistful
as he was lifted out of the nursery.

"Another night, dear," Nellie had said gently; "but it will


be too much for mamma, will it not Mary, to have all
down?"

"Yes, indeed," said Mary; "poor mamma! Besides, Dolly,


see what cook has sent us up for tea—some of her nice
buns; and yours is here, look!"

Dolly peeped her chin over the edge of the table, and
being somewhat satisfied, she pushed her high chair nearer,
and climbed up by the baby.

"That's right," said Mary, "and it is nice to be at home,


after all."

So the others felt, and the tongues flew as fast or faster


than the knives and forks.

Christina and her aunt had been prevailed upon to


accompany them home, and to stay with them for a few
days till they could meet with apartments; so they were
seated in the place of honour, and were included in all the
plans and projects of the next few weeks.

"To-morrow," said Christina, turning to her aunt, "we


must search for apartments, and then, if we find them,
Nellie and I are to have an expedition to Hampstead. I shall
not drag you about, Aunt Mary, till I see something very
suitable."

"Very well, my dear; and perhaps I can be thinking over


what new furniture you will want."

"Yes," said Christina; "for I can't put little clodhopping


shoes on crimson damask chairs."

They all laughed; and Netta said, "Are the chairs you
are going to buy crimson damask?"

"Not those I am going to buy, but those I have; they


are stored away carefully somewhere, waiting for me."

"Oh, I see!" said Netta.

"You will have to come and see me, Tom dear, when it is
all done," said Christina.

"I," asked Tom, colouring; "can I really?"

"Yes," answered his mother; "we will arrange it


somehow."

Directly after tea, Dr. Arundel rang the bell, and told
Simmons to collect all for prayers.

"We will unite in thanking God for our happy reunion,"


said their father.

"May we have a hymn, papa?" asked Nellie.


"Oh, to be sure! Can you sing without the piano?"

"Oh, yes! We have got quite used to it at South Bay."

So they all gathered together. Even baby came down,


as he always did in the morning, and sat very still on his
mother's knee, looking round gravely at the unusual sight of
lamps at prayers, which he could not make out at all.

The next morning, true to their intention, Christina and


her aunt started forth on their lodging-hunting expedition.
They were not very long gone, but returned in about an
hour, having found what would suit them very well, for the
few weeks before they could expect to settle into the new
home. So after dinner, Christina asked Nellie if it would be
possible for her to get away for the "house-hunting," and
Mrs. Arundel answered for her, that she should go by all
means.

"Will you like to come with us, Ada?" said Christina.

"Oh, thank you! I should very much," said Ada, "if I


should not be in the way."

So the three went together, and when at seven o'clock


they returned, they had to confess that they were
thoroughly tired.

"What success have you had?" asked Walter.

"Pretty fair," answered Christina, "the only objection


being that the house we like is almost taken!"

"What a bore!" exclaimed Arthur.

"Tell us all about it," said Dr. Arundel.


"Well," said Nellie, "we saw large and small, all sorts;
but at last we came to this one that Christina thinks would
do. It is old-fashioned, with quite a large garden; and there
are fruit trees, and vegetables, and plenty of flowers."

"That would be very nice," said Mrs. Arundel.

"It is all I could wish," said Christina. "The front is dull;


but the back windows look out on the garden and on the
Heath. Oh, such a view! No wonder Nellie praised it up!"

"But then it is almost let?" said Dr. Arundel. "Yes; they


will know in a day or two."

"I hate waiting," said Ada, sighing.

"It is hard for everybody," said Walter; "but sometimes


it is just the lesson God has for us to learn."

His eyes rested for an instant on Christina, and he felt


Nellie's hand slipped into his lovingly.

"I do not know anything much harder," said Dr. Arundel.


"I see a great deal of that by the bedsides of my patients."
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