stine lines and brought him the water for which he
longed. Touched by the act, but always modest, David refused to allow
men to risk their lives simply for his gratification and poured out the
water as a sacrifice to God, according to the religious ceremony of
that time, for it was as good as blood, David said, and the three men
who brought it to him were afterwards counted among the mightiest of
his heroes.

Besides these men, all the others of his little band were devoted to
him, seeing his courage and his unconditional dependence on God under
all circumstances. The wild, rough life brought out all the manhood
there was in his little band of outlaw warriors who were occupied
mainly in guerilla warfare with marauding tribes and in eluding the
pursuit of Saul, and in this way several years passed, during which
time, David's life was full of stirring events, but many a night as he
wandered underneath the stars, his thoughts turned in passionate
longing to Jonathan, for whom his heart cried out--for Jonathan, whose
life was as different from David's, for he had all the comforts of
luxurious living, and all the elegance and pomp which were the natural
surroundings of a King's son. And yet he was far from happy, for he too
longed for David, and he was obliged to spend a large part of his time
in watching over his father, whose weakness of character he understood
perfectly, and to keep the King from dangerous acts and damaging
outbursts of temper, required all of young Jonathan's tact, and most of
his time and strength.

Meanwhile, the prophet Gad whose advice was supposed to be divinely
inspired, told David that it was no longer safe to remain in the cave
of Adullam, so the little band of outlaws left the place where they had
been for so long encamped and as outlaws have always done, they took
refuge in a forest, somewhere among the hills of Judah.

It was now the end of harvest time in May, and news was brought to
David that the town of Keilah was being harassed by plundering bands of
Philistines. As the town evidently did not belong to Judah at this
time, Saul did not move a finger to protect it, although the enemy had
shut up the citizens within their own walls and were robbing the loaded
threshing floors outside. David deliberated long and prayerfully,
together with the priest Abiathar, who was one of his followers,
deciding whether he might successfully attack the bands who were
robbing Keilah. His men were rather f