the sight of so large a river, and expressed their wonder as they looked up and down its broad channel, while the care and anxiety of the mother, lest they should fall in and be drowned, was very characteristic. She continued giving hasty admonitions and directions, sometimes to the children, and then to their father, till the boat had gained the eastern bank of the river.

"Now, Phinehas, for your history,' said Ahimaaz, when they were all safely landed. 'What was it that started you in this style, and in the dead hour of the night?'

"Phinehas now experienced that pleasing reaction of mind which ensues when alarming dangers are past and over, and he freely indulged in that humorous and playful style that generally characterized his conversation.

"Our little town of Bahurim,' said he, during the afternoon and earlier part of the night, was agitated and tossed with commotions as though we had dwelt on the side of some volcanic mountain. In the first place, our good old king took a singular trip through our principal street, late in the afternoon; and what astonished us the more, he was taking his excursion on foot. In the second place, a great man of our town, Shimei, the son of Gera, by name, moved by the presence of royalty, undertook to give his majesty a specimen of our proficiency in the fine arts, particularly in the department of oratory. He was edifying the king with an eloquent oration, which abounded in certain historical references, when Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, became suddenly very anxious to make a display of his skill in another department of the arts, that is, in the department of surgery. All he asked was the royal

sanction, in order to effect what, he maintained, would be a decided improvement in the location of Shimei's head. The good king, however, discouraged the proposed surgical operation, on the ground that his mind was not clear as to its propriety in the case of the polite and eloquent Shimei.

"While we were admiring these singular events, two young men, who shall be nameless, without the idle ceremony of knocking at the door, very familiarly presented themselves as guests in my parlor. This excellent wife of mine, renowned all through Bahurim and the neighborhood for her tact in killing two birds with one stone, to accommodate her guests, and save herself the trouble of spreading a table for their refreshment, showed them into the apartment where she keeps her cream, milk, and butter, that they might help themselves; but, woman-like, in her attention to the claims of appetite, she did not neglect those of dress and external appearance; and as powdering is all the fashion now among the quality, she used up a fine grist of meal for the benefit of her two visitors. Scarcely were these arrangements completed, when a certain Ben Huppim, and eighteen or twenty Danites, politely called upon us, and appeared as hungry for an interview with the two guests who had entered the house before them, as the seven lean and famished cattle that Pharaoh saw in his dream, were for an acquaintance with the fat and well-favored kine that came up from the river before them. My prudent and judicious wife declined acting as mistress of ceremonies on this occasion, and very plainly intimated to Ben Huppim and his party, that as our house was not large, if they would

go farther they might fare better. The Danites, however, declined leaving the house until they had made an accurate examination of the extent of our accommodations; they overset all of our furniture, leaving scars and marks of violence on almost every article they touched.

"Yet all this while neither did King David himself, nor Abishai, nor the two young men, nor the Danites, deign to throw any more light on these strange proceedings, than the magicians and astrologers of Egypt did on the dreams of Pharaoh before mentioned. At length, however, an interpreter appeared, as young, as wise, and if some people's opinion be consulted,' glancing his eye toward Ahimaaz, 'far more beautiful than the expounder of dreams who stood before Pharaoh. This genuine Joseph, or Josephine, I should say, unriddled the whole matter. From her interpretation we learned, like the chief baker in prison, that our heads were in danger. At this moment our good neighbor Zachariah came in and informed us, that the notable orator, Shimei, the son of Gera, had watched our house after the Danites had departed, to see if the two mysterious young men would not be forthcoming. He stated to Zachariah that the Danites were scarcely out of hearing, when he saw two men leaving the house with great rapidity; he was confident they must be the two spies, but that they had changed their raiment for the purpose of disguise, for their robes were dark when they entered the house, and in their retreat, by the moonlight, they appeared remarkably white. He was not apprised of the free use my wife had made of her meal.

"Zachariah further stated, that he thought we were

in danger, for he was confident Shimei would try to recommend himself to Absalom, by giving him information of what we had done. Now, as Tamar had told us that a famine was coming, and no promise of seven years' plenty preceding it, and as all the meal we had on hand was fairly disposed of, we at once concluded it was expedient to come over and sojourn for a time in this plentiful land of Gilead. I regret, however,' said Phinehas, 'that I cannot honor and reward my interpreter, as liberally as King Pharaoh did his, by bestowing the office of governor over all the land. However, over a part of the population I think,' giving another glance at Ahimaaz, 'the dominion will be as complete, and I trust far more lasting and happy, than that of the great patriarch in Egypt.'

"Phinehas,' said Ahimaaz, if you talk in riddles at this rate, you should take an interpreter with you wherever you go.'

"I would gladly do so,' said Phinehas, but I am a peaceable man, and have all my life been careful to avoid lawsuits, and in this case, I am aware of a certain adverse claim, that I am sure will be pressed with great earnestness and perseverance, and I believe I shall not attempt to resist it.'

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Enough, enough,' said Ahimaaz; 'that will do for your history. Come along and give your greeting to the king.'

"During this speech of Phinehas, Tamar sometimes blushed, sometimes smiled, and sometimes looked another way, and seemed not to understand; but now she accompanied the family of Phinehas to join the circle which surrounded the king."

CHAPTER XXI.

SCENES AT JERUSALEM.

"We must now," said Belial, "return to Jerusalem, and notice the progress of matters there. When Ben Huppim and his party reached the gate, they were told no admittance could be obtained before the morning. Though somewhat disappointed, he was not displeased; for his success in the pursuit of Ahimaaz and Jonathan had been such, that he was not very anxious for the opportunity of giving in his report to the king. The Danites, therefore, eddied about for a few minutes in the confused whirlpool of eager adventurers that now wheeled, and boiled, and tossed its turbulent billows before the gate of the city. They then drew off a little way, dismounted, and prepared to pass the night. The voice of one standing near them, in the dark, now addressed their leader in a familiar style, that seemed to claim acquaintance.

"Did you catch them?' said the voice.

"Catch whom?' replied Ben Huppim.

"Ahimaaz and Jonathan,' said the voice, after whom you ran your horses so rapidly over the Mount of Olives?'

"Who are you?' inquired Ben Huppim.

"Ira the Kenite, the boy that was your guide to Enrogel,' was the reply.