mes, and there to
hold themselves in readiness to reassemble, whenever the Romans
moved against Jerusalem; the decision was willingly accepted and, a
few hours after the Roman column had marched out from Jericho, the
Jewish companies started for their respective homes, all promising
to take up arms again, when the signal was given. Although the
success that had attended them had not been so great as they had
hoped, it had been sufficiently marked to inspire them with
confidence in themselves, and their leader. But few lives had been
lost; and they had learned that, so long as they persisted in the
tactics their leader had laid down, there was but little chance of
the Romans striking a heavy blow at them.

Surprise was mingled with joy, in the greetings John received on
his return home.

"No disaster has befallen your bands, I hope, John?" Simon asked,
anxiously. "We heard that the Romans had reached Jericho; and we
have been praying the Lord, night and day, for his protection for
you--believing that you would doubtless fall upon the enemy, as
they marched through the mountains towards Jerusalem."

"We should have done so, father, and already had taken up a
position on the heights commanding the roads; but there was no
fighting, simply because Vespasian has marched away with his army
to Caesarea, and will not, as we believe, make any movement against
Jerusalem this year."

"The Lord be praised!" Simon said, piously. "There is time yet for
the city to repent, in sackcloth and ashes, for its sins; and to
come to such terms with the Romans as may save the Temple."

"So far as I have heard, father, Jerusalem is little likely either
to repent or to negotiate. The news of what is passing there is
even worse than that which the Rabbi Solomon told us; but I will
not pain you by talking of these matters, now.

"You have heard what we have been doing. We have done no great
deeds, but we have harassed the Romans sorely, so that they could
not say that they held the country beyond the flight of their
arrows. We have taken many cities where they had left small
garrisons. We have cut off very many small parties, have captured
many flocks and herds which they had carried off, and have lost but
few men while inflicting much damage. Moreover, we have gained
experience and confidence and, when the time comes for fighting
hand-to-hand with the Romans, we shall enter upon the struggle
without fear."

"But what can have induced th