nd back
into the desert through which they had come. They walked a whole day,
and still Joseph and Mary saw no sign of Jesus. This was beginning to
seem strange. Surely they would see him somewhere!

At last it dawned upon them. He wasn't there at all!

They were frightened now. What could have happened to Jesus? What
would become of him in Jerusalem? There was nothing to do but to leave
the party, and turn back alone to the city. But Jerusalem was a big
place, and they hardly knew where to hunt for Jesus. How would they
ever find one boy among all those thousands of people?

[Illustration]

They went to the Temple. But even if he were here, it would not be
easy to find him quickly. Walking through one of the courts, they
noticed a group of people gathered around a rabbi. There was nothing
unusual about that. There were a great many teachers in the Temple,
and a visitor often saw groups gathered around them to listen to their
teaching.

But there was something different about this group. Most of the men in
it were Pharisees who were themselves rabbis. And the strange thing
was that they were not doing all the talking as they usually did. They
were listening too. And they were not listening to a rabbi, but to the
voice of a boy.

Joseph and Mary moved closer. There could be no mistake about it--it
was Jesus who was talking! He was asking questions; he was answering
questions. The long-bearded rabbis were standing there, their mouths
open in astonishment. Jesus was not just a boy in the crowd any
longer. Men old enough to be his grand-father were listening to what
he had to say.

Mary's surprise turned to anger. She pushed her way through the crowd
and took Jesus by the arm.

"Why did you do this?" she cried. "Your father and I have been looking
for you everywhere."

Jesus stood just where he was. It was as though he belonged there. He
said:

"Why did you come to look for me? Don't you know that I must be
looking after my Father's business?"

Joseph and Mary stood there too, not knowing what to make of their boy
or of what he said.

They waited to see what he would do.

And then, in a minute, Jesus turned and went with them. They did not
have to ask him again. The three of them went home to Nazareth.

Jesus knew that someday he would go back to the Temple. But he was not
ready for that yet. He must do his duty to his parents. He must obey
God at home. Then he would always know how to obey God in the wi