e river, John, or follow this side?" Jonas asked.

"I think we had best keep on this side, Jonas. On the other the
country is hilly, and the villages few. Here, at least, we can
gather fruit and corn, as we go, from the deserted gardens and
fields; and two days' walking will take us to Tarichea. We can
cross there, or take a boat up the lake."

After waiting until the last of their comrades had disappeared from
sight, John and his companion continued their way, keeping about
halfway between Jericho and the Jordan. They presently bore to the
left, until on the great road running north from Jericho. This they
followed until nightfall, rejoicing in the grapes and figs which
they picked by the roadside where, but a few months since, little
villages had nestled thickly.

Just before darkness fell they came upon a village which, although
deserted, had not been burned--probably owing to some body of Roman
soldiers having taken up their post there for a time. They entered
one of the houses, lay down, and were soon fast asleep.

Chapter 18: Slaves.

John was roused from sleep by being roughly shaken. He sprang to
his feet, and found a number of men--some of whom were holding
torches--in the room. Two of these had the appearance of merchants.
The others were armed and, by their dress, seemed to be Arabs.

"What are you doing here?" one of the men asked him.

"We are peaceful travellers," John said, "injuring no one, and came
in here to sleep the night."

"You look like peaceful travellers!" the man replied. "You have two
wounds yet unhealed on your head. Your companion has one of his
arms bandaged. You are either robbers, or some of the cutthroats
who escaped from Jerusalem. You may think it Iucky you have fallen
into my hands, instead of that of the Romans, who would have
finished you off without a question.

"Bind them," he said, turning to his men.

Resistance was useless. The hands of John and Jonas were tied
behind their backs, and they were taken outside the house. Several
fires were burning in the road, and lying down were three or four
hundred men and women; while several men, with spears and swords,
stood as a guard over them. John saw, at once, that he had fallen
into the hands of a slave dealer--one of the many who had come,
from various parts, to purchase the Jews whom the Romans sold as
slaves--and already the multitude sold was so vast that it had
reduced the price of slaves throughout Italy, Egyp