s all of an itch to be on
to him. Well, said Dan, he'll have enough riding before the day is over,
and I reckon his little backside will be sore before they halt at the
gates of Arimathea; a remark that caused Rachel to turn amazed eyes on
her son and to answer harshly that since he had so much foresight she
hoped he had not forgotten to tell Azariah that Joseph must have a long
rest at midday. But thy face tells me no order has been given for the
care of the child on the journey. But Azariah cannot be far on his way.
I'll send a messenger to caution him that Joseph has his rest in the
shade.

Dan let her go in search of the messenger and moved around the room
hoping (he knew not why) that the messenger would not overtake the
caravan, the which he very nearly missed doing, for while Rachel was
instructing the messenger, Joseph was asking Azariah if he might have a
stick to belabour his mule into a gallop. The cavalcade, he said, needed
a scout that would report any traces of robbers he might detect among
the rocks and bushes. But we aren't likely to meet robber bands this
side of Jordan, Azariah said, they keep to the other side; and he told
Joseph, who was curious about everything, that along the Jordan were
great marshes into which the nomads drove their flocks and herds in the
spring to feed on the young grass. So they are there now, Joseph replied
meditatively, for he was thinking he would like better to ride through
marshes full of reeds than through a hilly country where there was
nothing to see but the barley-fields beset by an occasional olive garth.
But hooves were heard galloping in the rear and when the messenger
overtook the caravan and blurted out Rachel's instructions, Joseph's
face flushed. Now what can a woman know, he cried, about a journey like
this? Tell her, he said, turning to the messenger, that I shall ride and
rest with the others. And as an earnest of his resolve he struck the
messenger's horse so sharply across the quarters that the animal's head
went down between his knees and he plunged so violently that the
messenger was cast sprawling upon the ground. The cavalcade roared with
laughter and Joseph, overjoyed at the success of his prank, begged
Azariah to wait a little longer, for he was curious to see if the
messenger would succeed in coaxing his horse. At present the horse
seemed in no humour to allow himself to be mounted. Whenever the
messenger approached he whinnied so menacingly that ev