nd them near the source
of one of the many wadies which, after the rains of November and
December, rush in torrents through the boulder-strewn valleys, and empty
themselves into the Dead Sea. The morning broke clear, but, as the day
advanced, a thick mist descended from the hills and made progress
difficult. But the ardour of the men, now that the goal was almost in
sight, was such that it was impossible to hold them back. In small
pickets they climbed the steep hill-sides, penetrated through the groves
of olive, fig and pomegranate trees which clothe the successive tiers of
limestone terraces, and reached the high plateau above. But at every
step upwards the hill-mist grew thicker, and, in spite of all attempts
to keep together, the pickets of soldiers became split up. When four
o'clock arrived, Sam and Jerry found themselves alone on the hills and
completely ignorant of their bearings. The short winter day was drawing
to a close, and they were in danger of being benighted among the Judean
uplands on Christmas Eve. They determined to make a descent to the point
from which they had started in the morning, but, after an hour's
wandering in the mist, found themselves no nearer their goal. Darkness
was now creeping swiftly upon them, and they realised the dangers of a
fall over one of the terraced cliffs.

"We're fair bet," said Jerry at last. "There'll be nea Chrissamas dinner
for us to-morn i' Jerusalem, I reckon."

"Thou's reight," replied Sam; "we sall hae to bide here while t' mist
lifts, an' do t' best we can for wersels. Bully-beef an' biscuit is what
we'll git for wer dinners, an' there'll be nea sittin' ower t' fire at
efter, watchin' t' Yule-clog burn, an' eytin' spice-loaf an' cheese."

"Nivver mind, lad, we've had a cappin' time sin we set out on t' march
to Jerusalem, an' if we wasn't here we'd happen be up to wer oxters i'
Flanders muck."

"Aye, we've noan done sae badly," Sam Ineson agreed, "and we sall hae
summat to crack about when we git back to Wharfedale, choose how.
Thou'll hae to tak a Sunday schooil class at Gerston, Jerry, an' tell t'
lads all about Solomon's pools, where we catched them Turks, an' t' tomb
o' t' Prophet Samuel anent Hebron."

"Nay, I reckon t' lang settle at t' Anglers' Arms will be more i' my
line. But we're noan through wi' t' job yet awhile."

After this conversation, uttered in whispers, for fear lest their
presence should be disclosed to any Turks lurking in the neighbour