William was swimming lazily around. He had been busy all morning so he was now enjoying doing nothing more than just swimming near the river bank and popping his head out now and then to see if anything interesting was happening. It wasn't! After a while he began to feel bored, so he was very pleased when a few of his friends swam up to him.
'What are you doing William?' they asked.
'Nothing' he replied. 'Are you doing anything interesting.'
Come and see' they said, and they turned and began to swim away. William was curious. 'Whatever are they up to?' he thought as he flicked his tail and swam after them.
A few minutes later his friends stopped. 'There!' they said. 'What do you think they are doing?' and they pointed to a group of young men on the river bank.
'They are cutting down the trees' said William in astonishment.
'Yes, but why?' asked the others. William was their leader so they expected him to know, but in this case he was as puzzled as they were.
'I shall swim to the bank' he said after he had thought for a while, 'And listen to the men talking. Perhaps we can find out from them' William decided.
His six friends were rather anxious. 'Don't go too near the side' said Simeon.
'You could get hurt' Aaron added - and how true those words proved to be! But William just laughed and said 'Oh, don't worry about me, I'll be fine' and he swam towards the river bank nearest to the men. He looked around and soon found a good hiding place beside a group of large stones which jutted into the river.
'I'll never be seen here' he said to himself as he swam close to the largest stone and settled himself comfortably to wait. A few minutes later two men came down to the river for a drink.
'Its hot work cutting down those trees' said one.
'Thirsty work too' added the other as he scooped some water into his hands.
'I'll be glad when our new home is built' said the first man.
'So will I' agreed the other. 'We are far too crowded where we are.'
William popped his head round the stone to see who the men were, and his eyes opened wide in astonishment. 'They are young Prophets' he said. He looked at another group who were working hard, and wrinkled his brows in thought.
'I do believe that tall one is Elisha' he said quietly. There was a little splash in the water just then, and he turned his head to see his six friends swimming towards him.
'Have you found out anything yet, William?' they asked.
'Yes' he replied. 'The men are Prophets whom Elisha is training.'
'Elisha' broke in Becky. ' Our Elisha - the one we know?'
'The very same' William told her.'
Remember when he cured Naaman?' asked Simeon excitedly.
William frowned. He didn't like interruptions.
'And they are cutting down the trees to make a new home for themselves as their present home is far too small' William continued.
'Oh, that's the reason' the others said.
'Shall we have a game now?' asked Aaron, seeing that nothing very interesting was happening.
'Good idea' his other friends agreed, and they swam off to the middle of the river.
William swam more slowly, still looking at Elisha. Then WHOOSH! Something just missed his nose and fell into the water and sank to the bottom of the river.
Six pairs of startled eyes looked at William - 'What was that?' they asked, and without waiting for a reply they dived and six little tails disappeared in a flash.
'That's what I would like to know' muttered William rather crossly to himself.
Then up popped his friends again. 'It's an axe-head' said Simeon.
'It’s right on the bottom of the river bed' added John.
'They have certainly lost it now' Aaron ended
'Ssh!' said William. 'What is the Prophet saying?'
So they listened and heard him saying to Elisha that the axe-head didn't belong to him. He had only borrowed it, and he was very worried.
'I wonder what Elisha will do?' whispered Becky, and they were all quiet as they looked towards Elisha expecting another miracle.
They were not disappointed.
'Where did the axe-head fall?' Elisha asked his young student.
'Right there' he answered, and pointed to where the seven friends were swimming.
So Elisha lifted up his face to heaven and asked God to help them. Then he cut a stick, threw it into the water and, to everyone’s surprise and delight, up popped the axe-head and floated on the water until the Prophet waded out and picked it up. He was so pleased.
Everyone then thanked their Heavenly Father for the wonderful miracle. And the seven little friends leaped and swam,and dived and laughed.
'Another miracle' said William in wonder.
Aaron's eyes were sparkling with joy as he laughed and said 'I wouldn't want to live anywhere else - such amazing things happen here in the river Jordan.'
‘They certainly do, they certainly do' agreed the others joining in his merriment, and Elisha, who was watching them from the river bank laughed too.
'It is good to be joyful in the Lord' he said. ' And to praise and thank Him for all His love and care for us.'
'It is, it is' they shouted, and in great high spirits they sped through the water leaving a trail of ripples and bubbles on which the sunbeams danced as if to say

Elizabeth Aynsley ©

2nd Kings ch.6 vs. 1 - 6.