egular Jew trick"; but
Clytie rebuked him quickly, reminding him that they were God's own words,
spoken in His own holy voice.

"Well, it was mighty thoughtful in God," insisted Cousin Bill J., but
Clytie said, however that was, it served Pharaoh right for getting his
heart hardened so often.

The little boy, not perceiving the exact significance of "spoil" in this
connection, wondered if Cousin Bill J. would spoil if some one borrowed
his gold horse and ran off with it.

Then came that exciting day when the Lord said, "I will get me honour upon
Pharaoh and all his host," which He did by drowning them thoroughly in the
Red Sea. The little boy thought he would have liked to be there in a
boat--a good safe boat that would not tip over; also that he would much
like to have a rod such as Aaron had, that would turn into a serpent. It
would be a fine thing to take to school some morning. But Cousin Bill J.
thought it doubtful if one could be procured; though he had seen Heller
pour five colours of wine out of a bottle which, when broken, proved to
have a live guinea-pig in it. This seemed to the little boy more wonderful
than Aaron's rod, though he felt it would not reflect honour upon God to
say so.

Another evening they spent before Sinai, Cousin Bill J. reading the verses
in a severe and loud tone when the voice of the Lord was sounding. Duly
impressed was the little boy with the terrors of the divine presence, a
thing so awful that the people must not go up into the mount nor even
touch its border--lest "the Lord break forth upon them: There shall not a
hand touch it but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it be
beast or man it shall not live." Clytie said the goodness of God was
shown herein. An evil God would not have warned them, and many worthy but
ignorant people would have been blasted.

Then He came down in thunder and smoke and lightning and
earthquakes--which Cousin Bill J. read in tones that enabled Bernal to
feel every possible joy of terror; came to tell them that He was a very
jealous God and that they must not worship any of the other gods. He
commanded that "thou shalt not revile the Gods," also that they should
"make no mention of the names of other Gods," which Cousin Bill J. said
was as fair as you could ask.

When they reached the directions for sacrificing, the little boy was
doubly alert--in the event that he should ever determine to be washed in
the blood of the lamb and have to