, he is our brother."

So they helped Joseph out of the pit and showed him to the merchants,
who saw that he was a handsome lad, such as would bring a good price in
the slave-market in Egypt, where red-cheeked boys were of greater value
than black boys of the desert; and they bought him for twenty silver
pieces, which they counted out to Judah upon the ground.

Tied with a rope like a dog to his master's camel, Joseph was led away
by the dusky merchants on their slow march to Egypt. They did not heed
his cries and tears, for they bought and sold boys and girls, as other
men bought and sold sheep and cattle, almost every day of their lives.

When night drew near, and Reuben came quietly towards the edge of the
pit and called his young brother's name, he got no answer but the
sighing of the wind in the grass. Believing that the lad was dead,
Reuben tore his clothes in his grief, and ran quickly to his brothers'
tents; but they hid the truth from him, and having dipped Joseph's
tunic in the blood of a goat which they had killed, they brought it to
his father.

"This have we found," they said. "Tell us now whether it is your son's
coat or not."

Then the old man knew it at once, and said, "It _is_ my son's coat; an
evil beast has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces."
And in his bitter grief he tore his garments after the manner of his
people, while his sons and daughters tried in vain to comfort him.

"I will go down to the grave," he said, "mourning for my son."

THE STORY OF BENJAMIN.

I.

Joseph was bought from the merchants by an officer who had command over
the soldiers of Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt; and after a time of trial
he prospered so well that he became one of the chief officers of the
king, having among other tasks the care of the royal granaries or
storehouses of corn.

Now Joseph, who was very wise and thoughtful, caused great storehouses
of brick to be set up in all the cities, and he told the people to
place in these granaries one-tenth of the yield of each year's harvest.
This he did to guard against any time of famine which might fall upon
the land.

For seven years of plenty this was done, and after that there came upon
the land and upon all the lands round about seven years of famine; and
only in the land of Egypt was there corn for the people. And when the
people cried to Pharaoh for bread he said, "Go unto Joseph; what he
saith to you, do." Then Joseph open