le could think only of the free food Jesus had given them.
They paid no attention to his words. "We will do anything for you!" they
cried. Then another shout grew loud.

"You shall be our king! You shall be our king!"

"They are going to compel him to be king!" exclaimed the Zealot.

Jesus turned his back and called his disciples about him.

"What is he going to do?" The Zealot was alarmed. "Surely he won't miss
this opportunity?"

"Let us go," said Jesus to the Twelve, starting toward the lake shore.

The Zealot caught Jesus' arm. "But, Master...." He let go as Simon
gripped his shoulder.

"He will be king all right," Simon told him. "But he is not the kind of
king these people want. I am sure of that."

The crowd were dumfounded to see Jesus leave them so quickly. A few
attempted to follow, but they soon realized that twilight was swiftly
fading into the darkness of night and they turned back.

"You row across to Capernaum by yourselves," said Jesus to the
disciples. "I will follow later." The wondering men got into the boat
and rowed away. Jesus stood watching them as they disappeared in the
deep twilight. Then he turned and walked alone into the shadowy hills.

"Sometimes I wonder if he knows what he is doing!" burst out the Zealot,
bitterly disappointed. "What an opportunity! He just turned his back on
them!"

"You know he has no desire for political power," said John.

"How can we ever establish the government of God if we never do anything
practical?" asked the Zealot. "What will his teachings ever amount to
unless we put them in the place of the old laws?"

Simon could not forget the words of Jesus. "He did not say, 'I am your
King.' He said, 'I am the Bread of Life.'"

"What do you mean?" asked the Zealot.

"Are you sure he intends to start a rebellion?" asked Simon.

"I don't know what else all this talk of a Kingdom could mean!"

"If he were an ordinary political leader--or even a Rabbi--there would
be no other way," said Simon, reflectively. "But there is something
about him that makes me think he is not going to do what we expect at
all!"

A gust of cold wind struck them, and the men looked up. Even the western
sky was black. The boat was in the middle of the lake. Out of the dark
night the wind blew in ever stronger gusts.

"We're in for a squall," said James, worried. The boat rolled. It was
heavily loaded, and water splashed in.

"Steer into the waves," called Simon. James and Joh