wam rapidly away
towards the river-bank, whither the Kingfisher pursued them, perching on
the bough of a tree and making a dart from it. He had almost succeeded
in capturing one, but it escaped him. And then an old fish popping up
her head for a minute said--

"People are very ready to condemn others for doing what they are
constantly doing themselves. Here are you trying to catch us yourself
and yet professing to be very angry with those who are wishing to do the
same."

Thus saying she disappeared, leaving the Kingfisher to moralise upon her
speech.

This he did, observing--

"There is something in what the fish says, and yet there's a difference
between me and the young gentleman to whom the boat belongs. I am
getting food for my family, whilst he is only amusing himself with
angling for the fishes. His killing is sport, mine is necessity."

G.

OUR SUNDAY AFTERNOONS.

THE DREAM OF THE BARLEY CAKE.

[Illustration: VIEW OF GAZA.]

The Israelites were wild with terror. With blanched faces and starting
eyes, they gazed upon one another in unspeakable agony, unable to ask
the question which was pressing so heavily upon each heart--What would
the end be?

They had seen locusts coming in the distance, in swarms so dense as to
darken the sky, more effectually than thickest, blackest clouds. They
had watched them settle down on tree, bush, bright green meadow, and
fields of waving corn. And they had trembled. For they knew that in an
incredibly short time not a vestige of anything green would be left. For
a swarm of locusts to visit the land they had thought one of the direst
calamities that could come upon them. But now invaders as numerous and
far more terrible had made their appearance.

Crossing the Jordan by the ford near Bethshean, and pouring, like a
torrent of infuriated waters, through the Valley of Jezreel, properly so
called, which was the central of the three eastern arms of the great
Plain of Esdraelon, had come vast hordes of Midianites, Amalekites, and
other children of the East, true sons of the desert, who, like the Arabs
of the present day, lived by plunder.

Foremost amongst them rode their two great sheiks, or kings, whose
haughty and lofty bearing bespoke their rank, and the obedience and
submission which they were accustomed to receive. They were mounted on
the finest of dromedaries, which seemed proud to carry their royal
masters. Over the gay scarlet cloaks in which they w