an and their
youngest brother and their father they had left at home. Joseph still
seemed to be very angry and put them in prison for three days.

Then he let them out and told them to go home, all but Simeon, whom he
would keep as a hostage, and bring back their youngest brother, and
then he would believe that they spoke the truth.

They started back, each with his donkey loaded with grain. When they
stopped at an inn they found that the money which they had paid for
the grain was in the top of each sack.

They reached home at last and told their father all that had happened.
The story made the old man very sad. He would not let them go back to
Egypt. He said that he had lost two sons, Joseph and Simeon, and he
could not let Benjamin, whom he loved next to Joseph, go with them.

{187}{188}

[Illustration]
AN EASTERN HOUSE

From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by
her kind permission.

This house is made of mud--that is, sun-dried clay, with a roof of
thatch, and shows how houses were made and looked in Bible times.
The children of the village have come to have their eyes treated by
the doctor. Many of the children in the hot countries of the East
have trouble with their eyes, and blindness. The little village of
mud houses where this was taken is on the site of the ancient
Ashdod, one of the five powerful cities of the Philistines.
[End illustration]

{189}

But the famine kept on. They had nothing to eat and at last Jacob was
forced to let them go. They promised to take the best of care of
Benjamin and started on their journey.

When they reached Egypt Joseph was more kind. He asked them how they
were and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is
he yet alive?"

And they answered, "Thy servant, our father, is yet alive. He is in
good health."

Then he saw Benjamin and said, "Is this your younger brother of whom
ye spoke unto me?"

And he said, "God be gracious unto thee, my son."

He gave them a feast, and told them to go home, but as soon as they
were gone he sent an officer after them. The officer caught up with
them and opened the bags of grain, and there was Joseph's own golden
cup in the mouth of Benjamin's sack!

They were wild with fear. They said that their poor old father would
die if anything happened to Benjamin. But the stern officer took them
back to Joseph.

Then Joseph told them who he was, and forgave them for