ortie the
Jews might make against the camps or working parties.

"It is a very dark night," John said, doubtfully. "Do you think you
can find your way?"

"There are the stars," the woman replied, confidently. "Besides, I
was born at Bethlehem, and know the country well. I shall keep on
west for a while, and then turn off into the deep valleys leading
down towards Masada.

"God be with you!" and, taking the child's hand, she emerged from
the bushes, and glided noiselessly away into the darkness.

John set out on his return journey--which he found very much
shorter than he had done coming, for the weight of a child for two
hours, when walking over difficult ground, is trying even to a
strong and active man. He carefully replaced the boards across the
mouth of the pit, placed the lamps in a position so that he could
find them in the dark and, upon going out of the house, closed the
door carefully.

The next morning, that of the 29th of May, the Roman attack began.
The Fifth and Twelfth Legions had raised embankments near the
Struthion--or Soapwort--Pool, facing the Castle of Antonia; while
the Tenth and Fifteenth raised theirs facing the great towers of
Hippicus, Phasaelus, and Mariamne. They had not carried out their
work unmolested, for the Jews had now learned the art of
constructing and managing war machines; and had made three hundred
scorpions for throwing arrows, and forty ballistae for hurling
stones and, with these, they had caused terrible annoyance and
great loss to the Romans.

But now, all was prepared. On the evening of the 28th, the last
stroke had been given to the embankment; and on the following
morning the engines were mounted, and the troops stood in readiness
for the attack. Suddenly a smoke was seen, stealing up round the
embankments facing Antonia; and the Roman officers called back
their men, not knowing what was going to occur. Then a series of
mighty crashes was heard. The great embankments, with their engines
and battering rams, tottered and fell. Dense smoke shot up in
columns, followed rapidly by tongues of fire, and soon the vast
piles of materials, collected and put together with so much pains,
were blazing fiercely; while the Jews laughed, and shouted in
triumph, upon the walls.

The moment John of Gischala perceived where the Romans were going
to construct their embankments, he had begun to run a mine from
behind the walls towards them. When the gallery was extended under
them,