enturous spirits.

All present were known to John, personally. Many of them were sons
of friends of Simon; and the others he had met at village
gatherings, or when fishing on the lake. There were warm greetings,
as each accession to the party arrived; and each member of the band
felt his spirits rise higher, at finding that so many of those he
knew, personally, were to be his comrades in the enterprise.

When the last comer had arrived, John said:

"We will now be moving forward. We had best get well up the
mountain, before night falls. It matters not much where we camp,
tonight; tomorrow we can choose a good spot for our headquarters."

It being now the height of the dry season, the river was low, and
they had no difficulty in wading across. Then they struck up the
hill, to the right of Abila, until they had fairly entered the
forests which clothed the lower slopes of the mountains. Then John
gave the word for a halt.

Dead wood was soon collected, and a fire made. Cakes of meal were
baked in the ashes and, after these had been eaten, the party lay
round the fire and, a few minutes later, John rose to his feet.

Illustration: John Incites his Countrymen to Harass the Romans.

"You all know the reason for which we are gathered together here.
We all long for vengeance on the oppressors of our country, the
murderers of our kinsmen and friends, the men who carry off our
women to shame and slavery in Rome. We are all ready to die, for
our country and our God; but we would fain die doing as much harm
to the Romans as we can, fighting like freemen in the open, instead
of rats slaughtered in a cage. That is why, instead of going into
Gamala, we have gathered here.

"I am the youngest among you; but I have so far assumed the
leadership because, in the first place, I have been much with
Josephus, who--although he may now, most unworthily, have gone over
to the Romans to save his life--was yet a wise governor, and a
great leader. From him, I have learned much of the Romans. In the
second place, I have seen more of their warfare than any of you,
having passed through the terrible siege of Jotapata. Lastly, I
believe that God, having saved me almost alone of all the host that
defended the town, has intended me as an instrument for his
service.

"Therefore have I taken upon myself the command, in the first
place, of this band; but at the same time, if you think that I am
too young, and would rather place another at your