soon as the
winter is past?"

"He hopes not, mother. Gamala was the only town on this side of the
Jordan that resisted the Roman authority and, as all the
territories of Agrippa are now peaceful, there is no reason why the
Romans should enter these again; and indeed, all Galilee has now
surrendered. As Vespasian moved towards the sea, deputies came to
him from every town and village; and I think, now, that there will
be no more trouble there."

"It has been terrible enough, my son. What tens of thousands of men
have perished, what destruction has been wrought! We have been
mourning, for months now, for the woes which have fallen upon our
people."

"It has been most terrible, mother; and yet, it might have been
worse. Nigh a hundred and fifty thousand have fallen, at Gadara,
Jotapata, Japha, Tarichea, and Gamala; besides those who were slain
in the villages that had been sacked, and destroyed. Still,
considering all things, it might have been worse and, were it all
over now--did no more dangers threaten our nation--we might even
rejoice that no greater evils have befallen us, for our revolt
against Rome. But what has been done is but a preparation for the
siege of Jerusalem.

"However, do not let us begin to mourn over the future. The storm
has, for the present, passed away from us and, whatever misfortunes
have befallen our countrymen, we have happily escaped. The farm
stands uninjured, and no harm has come to any of us."

"And all the villagers have escaped, John? Did none of our
neighbors go out in their boats to Tarichea? We feared, when we
heard of the sea fight, that some must have fallen."

"No, mother. Fortunately, they listened to the counsels of my
father, who implored them not to put out on the lake for that, did
they do so, they would only bring misfortune and ruin upon
themselves."

"And have you heard, John," Mary asked, "anything of the champion
who they say has arisen? We have heard all sorts of tales of
him--how he harassed the Romans before Gamala and, with his
followers, burned their camp one night and well nigh destroyed
them; and how, when he goes into the fight, the Roman javelins drop
off without harming him; and how, when he strikes, the Romans fall
before his blows like wheat before a sickle."

John burst into a laugh.

"I wonder, Mary, that the reports didn't say also that he could fly
through the air when he chose; could render himself invisible to
the enemy; and could, by a wav