ol almost hidden at the
very foot of the cliff. "There it is!" he exclaimed. Several of the men
started toward the spring.

"Wait!" called Peter sharply. He pointed up at the face of the cliff.
James looked up and saw that a deep hole had been carved in the rock. It
was framed by two stone columns and a stone arch. Under the arch stood
a statue of Pan, the pagan god of nature.

"Stop!" cried Peter. "That water is unholy!" The other disciples caught
sight of the idol and shrank back.

"This place is defiled!" exclaimed James in disgust. "We cannot drink
this water!" The presence of the idol was an offense to the men and they
deeply resented it.

"Just wait until we get control of this land again!" burst out the
Zealot. "We will break these filthy images to pieces!"

"Just to think that the land of God's promise is filled with heathen
idols!" Peter was seething. He turned to Jesus. "How much longer must we
endure this?"

James interrupted. "It will not be long, will it, Master?"

"Can we start for Jerusalem soon?" urged the Zealot. "Surely the time
has come for God to deliver his people!" Jesus said nothing, but led
them over the crest of a ridge till Caesarea Philippi disappeared behind
them. The road descended into a flat swamp land which reached as far
south as Lake Huleh, which they could now see. The air was heavy with
moist heat, and the people they passed looked unhealthy.

The disciples scarcely noticed their discomfort, however, so eager was
their conversation. Again they tried to make Jesus promise that he would
use his power soon to conquer the Romans, but Jesus refused to join in
their discussion of how they would rule the land when the Romans were
beaten. Not one of them remembered his solemn warnings about the
suffering which they faced. Not one mentioned that Jesus had said he
would be killed in Jerusalem.

Judas listened and said little. Finally he could stand their
conversation no longer. "How many of you have ever lived in Jerusalem?"
he asked, breaking in.

"I stayed there a few weeks once," said James, puzzled by his question.

"I used to go every year when I was a boy," said Levi.

"Do you know any people who live in Jerusalem?" asked Judas.

"John and I know some people we sold fish to," answered Andrew.

Judas could hardly keep the scorn out of his voice. "You don't know the
first thing about Jerusalem! You have no idea what you are getting into!
You don't know anyone there except a