listening with delight to their thrilling
stories of encounters with wolves and jackals. Many of the shepherds
were friends of his father, for both were connected with the Temple,
since Samuel the weaver spent his days, in common with a number of
others in Bethlehem, in making the gorgeous curtains and veils that were
used in the sacred building.

"Stand up, Three Legs," said Ezra, putting his lamb on the ground and
showing Naomi its pitifully shrunken limb. In naming it "Three Legs"
Ezra was following the custom of the shepherds who called their charges
by any peculiarity they might possess, such as "Black Ear" or "Long
Tail." "I mean to make a little wagon and teach Three Legs to draw it.
And if he is not able to do that, I shall sell him for whatever I can
get."

"Oh, no, Ezra," said Naomi whose tender heart was touched by the forlorn
little animal. "He is sick, he is not able to draw a wagon. Give him to
me and let me take care of him."

Ezra shook his head.

"I will sell him first," said he with determination. "I will not give
him away."

"Sell him to me!" cried Naomi; "sell him to me!"

The lamb had toppled over in a little heap and was looking patiently and
with half-closed eyes into Naomi's face bent above him. It seemed to
the little girl that she would gladly give her dearest possession if she
might have the lamb for her own to nurse and care for.

"Sell him to me, Ezra. I will give thee anything thou mayst ask."

"What hast thou to give?" asked Ezra shrewdly. He felt sure the lamb
could never draw a wagon, and the prospect of selling a sick animal was
small.

"Anything thou mayst ask," was Naomi's reckless answer. The lamb had put
out a limp pink tongue and was licking her fingers.

"Thy poppies?"

Ezra had heard his aunt say that very day, "I need poppies sorely for my
brew for the palsy, and not a single one has bloomed in the khan garden
this year."

Surely four poppies would be worth a rich cake or two, or perhaps even
a piece of money.

"My poppies?" Naomi looked aghast. "My poppies? All four? Why, there is
just one apiece! Father and Mother, thou and Jonas! My poppies?"

The lamb stirred and with a little sigh of content snuggled his nose
into the palm of Naomi's hand.

"Take them!" Naomi stood up and gathered the lamb in her arms. "Take
them, only let me not see thee."

She turned her back upon Ezra and shut her eyes.

Quickly he gathered the flowers and ran out of the garden.