. It could
easily lead to an uproar."

Then cried all the priests together with a loud voice, as if impatient
that one should speak at a time: "But something must be done at once.
The matter brooks no delay. Perhaps at the feast he might raise a
commotion, and then it might come to pass that we should be consigned
to the place which we have destined for him."

"No delay;" cried some other priests, "no delay!"

Then the second Pharisee stood up and said: "We cannot now seize him
openly with the strong hand. We must carry out our scheme cunningly
and in secret. Let us find out where he usually spends the night; then
we could fall upon him unobserved and take him into custody."

Nathanael sprang to his feet, for the auspicious moment had come,--the
furious merchants from the temple were without in the courtyard. "To
track the fox to his lair will not be difficult. We could then soon
find someone to help, if it should please the high council to offer a
large reward."

Caiaphas at once put the resolution to the Sanhedrin. Rising from his
seat he said, "If you, assembled fathers, agree, then in the name of
the high council I will issue notice that whoever knows of his nightly
resort, and will inform us of the same, will be rewarded for his pains."

With one voice the rulers and chief priests and scribes cried out,
rising from their seats, "We are all agreed."

Then said Nathanael, "Without doubt we could secure the services, as
informers, of those men whom the Galilean today has injured so deeply
in the sight of all the people, driving them with a scourge out of the
temple. From of old they were zealous of the law, but now they are
thirsting for revenge against him who has made so unheard-of an attack
upon their privileges."

"But where," said Caiaphas, "are these traders to be found?"

"They are waiting," said Nathanael, "in readiness in the outer court.
I have promised them to be the advocate of their cause before the holy
Sanhedrin, and they await our decision."

"Worthy priest," said Caiaphas, "inform them that the high council is
disposed to listen to their grievance, and bring them in."

Nathanael as he went said, "This will be a joy to them and of great use
to us."

When Nathanael left the hall, Caiaphas addressed the council with words
of cheer: "The God of our fathers has not withdrawn his hand from us.
Moses still watches over us. If only we can succeed in gathering
around us a nucleus of men