een sent out returned with a basket, and they paid
him with a little gold ring, the last to be found on the fingers of the
wanderers. They ate, and rejoiced over God's beautiful world and its
gifts, and then prepared for further wanderings, Whither? Towards the
metropolis.

Mary stood behind the rocks and gazed after Him as long as He was
visible in the haze of the Galilean sun.

CHAPTER XXV

And so they made their way towards Jerusalem for the celebration of the
Passover. Long ago Moses had delivered the Jews from bondage in Egypt,
and led them back to their native land. In grateful remembrance many
thousands assembled every year at Jerusalem at the time of the first
full moon of spring, made a pilgrimage to the Temple, and, according to
the ancient custom, ate of the Paschal lamb, with bitter herbs, and
bread made without yeast, as once they ate manna in the wilderness. At
such an assembly there was of course much commerce and show. The
execution of criminals took place at that time, so that people were
sure of one terrible spectacle in accordance with the words of the
Rabbis in the Temple who said; He who breaks the Law shall be punished
according to the Law.

"I should like to see such a thing once," said the disciple Thaddeus to
his comrades as they went along. "I mean such a punishment."

"You'll easily find an opportunity in Jerusalem," replied Andrew; and
added with light mockery, "to see criminals impaled is the correct
merry-making for poor men. It costs nothing. And yet I do not know a
costlier pleasure."

"How is the impaling done?" Thaddeus wanted to know.

"That's easily described," Matthew informed them. "Think of an upright
post planted in the earth and a cross-beam near the top. The poor
sinner is bound naked to it, his arms stretched out. When he has hung
there in the people's eyes for a while, they break his legs with a
club. For very serious crimes they sometimes fasten the limbs to the
post with iron nails."

Thaddeus turned aside in horror. "May it never be my lot to look on at
such a thing."

"Do not imagine that such talk is a jest," said another. "Every one
implores God that such a doom may never befall any of his relations or
friends. We are all poor sinners. When our Master establishes His
Kingdom this horrible mode of death will be abolished. Don't you think
so?"

"Then all modes of death will be abolished," said Simon Peter. "Are
you asleep when He spea