laimed Andrew in disgust, "I have tightened this thing on
every hill between Galilee and Judea!" He worked impatiently at the
knotted ropes that bound the baskets on the donkey's back. John was not
listening. He was gazing at the scene before them.

Torrents of muddy water poured through the gully during the season of
rains. Now the clay in the bottom was dry and cracked. Under the hoofs
of the animals it was as hard as stone. John pushed his damp hair back
from his forehead. His home province, with its green hillsides
surrounding the cool Lake of Galilee, was very different from this
burnt, rocky land of Judea, which lay southwest of where they stood. The
gully carried a sluggish stream of heated air up from the valley; he
could feel the damp warmth on his skin. Even on the hilltop there was no
cooling breeze.

Andrew wiped his face with a dusty sleeve and left a dirty streak above
his brows. "There!" he exclaimed. "These baskets ought to stay on now."
The rope was drawn tightly around the belly of the donkey.

"We should be at Bethany soon," remarked John.

Andrew struck the donkey with his whip and said gruffly, "Come on!" as
though the animal had shaken its load loose on purpose. The little
caravan started again, Andrew in the lead.

The road was built on the slope of the hills which closed in the plain
of the Jordan. Stretching far to the west the men could see fields of
ripe grain. The heat of early summer had come quickly this year and now
threatened to destroy the crop. Farmers were hard at work cutting the
wheat and threshing out the grain on platforms of earth pressed smooth
as stone.

"Are you sure that John the Baptizer is still at Bethany?" called Andrew
over his shoulder. John did not answer. After a moment, Andrew added,
"Perhaps he has gone to some other place to preach." Still there was no
reply. Irritated, Andrew turned. John had dropped behind and was walking
with a stranger. Where had this traveler come from? He must have been
moving fast to overtake them so swiftly. His robe was hitched high at
the waist for easier walking. Andrew slowed and waited for the men.

"Could you tell us, friend, where John the Prophet is baptizing?" John
was saying.

The traveler smiled. "I hear he is at Bethany on the Jordan, near
Jericho. Do you want to hear him?"

"We are his disciples," responded John proudly; then he bit his lip.
Andrew was frowning at him. It was dangerous to say a thing like that!
John l