g the carts and looking at
the casks, or sounding them with their knuckles, finally crowded
round a man who stood leaning his back against the side of the hill,
and a low-voiced, but lively discussion followed. Among the Jews,
Meir recognised several innkeepers of the neighbourhood, and in the
man with whom they conversed, Jankiel Kamionker. The peasants whose
task it was to unload the carts preserved a gloomy silence. A strong
smell of alcohol permeated the air.

The astonishment of Meir did not last long. He began to see the
meaning of the whole scene, and seemingly had made up his mind what
to do, as he moved a few steps in Jankiel Kamionker's direction.

He had not gone far when a huge shadow detached itself from a
projection of the hill and barred the way.

"Where are you going, Meir?" whispered the man.

"Why do you stop me from going, Johel?" replied Meir, as he tried to
push him aside.

But Johel grasped him by the coat tails.

"Do you no longer care for you life?" he whispered. "I am sorry for
you, because you are good and charitable; take warning and go at
once."

"But I want to know what Reb Jankiel and his innkeepers are going to
do with the casks," persisted Meir.

"It does not concern you," whispered Johel. "Let neither your eyes
see nor your ears hear what Reb Jankiel is doing. He is engaged in a
big business; you will only hinder him. Why should you stand in his
way? What will you gain by it? Besides, what can you do against him?"

Meir remained silent, and turned in another direction.

"What can I do?" he whispered to himself; with quivering lips.

Passing near Abel Karaim's hut, he saw Golda still standing at the
window. He nodded to her.

"Sleep in peace."

But she called out to him:

"Meir, here is a child sitting on the floor asleep."

He came nearer and saw, close to the bench where he had been sitting,
the crouching figure of a child.

"Lejbele!" he said, wonderingly. He had not seen the lad, who had
quietly followed him and sat down close to him.

"Lejbele!" repeated Meir, and he put his hand upon the child's head.

He opened a pair of half-unconscious eyes and smiled.

"Why did you come here?" asked Meir, kindly.

The child seemed to collect his thoughts, and then answered:

"I followed you."

"Father and mother will not know what has become of you."

"Father sleeps, and mother sleeps," began Lejbele, rocking his head;
"and the goats are sleeping," he added after a