others and as an earnest of his resolve he struck the messenger s horse so sharply across the quarters that the animal s head went down between his knees and he plunged so violently that the messenger was cast upon the ground the roared with laughter and joseph at the success of his begged to wait a little longer for he was curious to see if the messenger would succeed in his horse at present the horse seemed in no humour to allow himself to be mounted whenever the messenger approached he so that everybody laughed again is there none amongst ye that will help me to catch the horse the poor messenger cried after the departing travellers we have a long day s march in front of us said and he warned joseph not to beat his mule into a gallop at the beginning of the journey or he would repent it later words that came true sooner than joseph had expected for before midday he was asking how many miles would bring them to the in about another hour answered and joseph said he had begun to hate his mule for it would neither trot nor gallop only walk thou rt thinking of the and would like to the brook be after them flourishing a lance said and � afraid that he was being laughed at � joseph made no answer after the rest at midday it seemed to him to be his duty to see that his mule had been properly fed and he bought some from the driver but while he was giving it to his mule remarked that he was only other animals of their fair share of it is hard he said to do good without doing wrong to another but the present is no time for philosophy we must start again and the moved on through the hills avoiding the steep and by paths and joseph who had not seen a shepherd leading his flock for some years became all of a sudden delighted by the spectacle the sheep running forward the fresh with which the hills were covered as with dark velvet a little later they came into view of a flock of near a wood and sought to improve the occasion by a little on the destructive nature of the goat of late years a rarely escaped them and still more was the carelessness of the shepherd who left the branches they had torn down to become dry like he spoke of many forest fires and told all the stories he could remember in the hope of joseph s thoughts from the length of the journey we are now about half way he said the truth we shall see the city upon the evening glow in about another hour the longest hour that i have ever known joseph complained two hours later and laid his cloak over joseph s saddle dost feel more comfortable a little the child answered at the sight of the city thy heart will be lifted again and the suffering forgotten and joseph believed him but towards the end of the day the miles seemed to stretch out and at five o clock he was crying shall we ever get to for i can sit on this the brook mule no longer nor shall i be able to stand straight upon my legs when i alight promised they would be at the gates in a few minutes but these few minutes seemed as if they would never pass away but they did pass and at the joseph from his mule and just managed to into the inn at which they were to sleep that night too tired to eat he said too tired he feared to sleep pressed him to swallow a cup of soup and he prepared a hot bath for him into which he poured a bottle of an excellent remedy he reported this to be against and it showed itself to be such for next morning joseph was quite free from and said he could walk for miles samuel s rock cannot be more than a few hundred yards distant so miles are not necessary answered as they stepped over the threshold into a delightful morning all smiles and greetings and subtle invitations to come away into the forest and fields full of promises of flowers and songs but in conflict with their project which was to inquire out their way from the maidens at the fountain who would be sure to know it and in its shade to read the story of david and first and other stories afterwards but the gay morning drew their thoughts away from and without being aware of their they had already begun to indulge in hopes that the maidens would be late at the fountain and leave them some time to by the old that brought the water in a tiny stream to fall into a marble an maybe said as he gathered some water out of it with his hands and drank telling joseph to do likewise there were clouds in the sky so the sun kept coming and going a great lantern joseph said that god holds in his hands answered and when tired of waiting for maidens who did not appear their was continued by shadows advancing and retreating across the brook the the town was an enchantment in the still morning but when they rose to their feet their eyes fell on a greater enchantment � the hills clothed in moving light and shade so beautiful that the appeal to come away to the woods and fields continued in their hearts after they had lowered their eyes and would not be denied though they prayed for strength to to their original project it had died out of their hearts through no fault of theirs as far as they could see and wondering how they might get from it they strode about the city 