cilor with credit, because I could always come to you for
advice before, I give an opinion--then I should be sure to be
right.

"But, seriously, Mary, I do think it great honor to have had such
an offer made me, by the governor."

"Seriously, so do I, John; though I wish, in my heart, he had not
made it. I had looked forward to living here, all my life, just as
your mother has done; and now there will be nothing fixed to look
forward to.

"Besides, where there is honor, there is danger. There seem to be
always tumults, always conspiracies--and then, as your father says,
above all there are the Romans to be reckoned with and, of course,
if you are near Josephus you run a risk, going wherever he does."

"I shall never be in greater risk, Mary, than we were, together, on
the lake the other day. God helped us, then, and brought us through
it; and I have faith that He will do so, again. It may be that I am
meant to do something useful, before I die. At any rate, when the
Romans come, everyone will have to fight; so I shall be in no
greater danger than any one else."

"I know, John, and I am not speaking quite in earnest. I am sorry
you are going--that is only natural--but I am proud that you are to
be near our great leader, and I believe that our God will be your
shield and protector.

"And now, we had better go in. Your father will, doubtless, have
much to say to you, this evening; and your mother will grudge every
minute you are out of her sight."

Chapter 3: The Revolt Against Rome.

That evening the Rabbi Solomon Ben Manasseh came in, and was
informed of the offer which Josephus had made.

"You were present, rabbi," Simon said, "at the events which took
place in Jerusalem, and at the defeat of Cestius. John has been
asking me to tell him more about these matters for, now that he is
to be with the governor, it is well that he should be well
acquainted with public affairs."

"I will willingly tell him the history for, as you say, it is right
that the young man should be well acquainted with the public events
and the state of parties and, though the story must be somewhat
long, I will try and not make it tedious.

"The first tumult broke out in Caesarea, and began by frays between
our people and the Syrian Greeks. Felix the governor took the part
of the Greeks; and many of our people were killed, and more
plundered. When Felix was recalled to Rome, we sent a deputation
there with charges against him; b