iven again
to me!" And they were frightened, but they did not dare to go back to
Egypt and meet the stern ruler of the land. They went home and told
their old father all that had happened to them, and how their brother
Simeon was in prison, and must stay there until they should return,
bringing Benjamin with them.

When they opened their sacks of grain, there in the mouth of each sack
was the money that they had given; and they were filled with fear. Then
they spoke of going again to Egypt and taking Benjamin, but Jacob said
to them:

"You are taking my sons away from me. Joseph is gone, and Simeon is
gone, and now you would take Benjamin away. All these things are against
me!" Reuben said: "Here are my own two boys. You may kill them, if you
wish, in case I do not bring Benjamin back to you." But Jacob said: "My
youngest son shall not go with you. His brother is dead, and he alone is
left to me. If harm should come to him, it would bring down my gray
hairs with sorrow to the grave."

THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST BROTHER

The food which Jacob's sons had brought from Egypt did not last long,
for Jacob's family was large. Most of his sons were married and had
children of their own; so that the children and grandchildren were
sixty-six, besides the servants who waited on them, and the men who
cared for Jacob's flocks. So around the tent of Jacob was quite a camp
of other tents and an army of people.

When the food that had come from Egypt was nearly eaten up, Jacob said
to his sons:

"Go down to Egypt again, and buy some food for us."

And Judah, Jacob's son, the man who years before had urged his brothers
to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites, said to his father: "It is of no use
for us to go to Egypt, unless we take Benjamin with us. The man who
rules in that land said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your
youngest brother be with you'."

And Israel said, "Why did you tell the man that you had a brother? You
did me great harm when you told him."

"Why," said Jacob's sons, "we could not help telling him. The man asked
us all about our family, 'Is your father yet living? Have you any more
brothers?' And we had to tell him, his questions were so close. How
should we know that he would say, 'Bring your brother here, for me to
see him'?"

And Judah said, "Send Benjamin with me, and I will take care of him. I
promise you that I will bring him safely home. If he does not come back,
let me bear the blame fo