of all burdens whatever.

"Come on and help us," they cried to Rebecca and Esther. "The more at work the merrier we shall be. There are two empty baskets under that tree."

The visitors were soon busy trying to see if they could fill their baskets as quickly as the others did.

"I am not tempted to eat the olives," said Esther. "They are too bitter. But I am very fond of them after they are pickled."

"So are we all," answered one of the women. "I don't know how we should get along without olives and the oil we make from them."

"They say the Christians not only eat that unclean animal, the pig, but they also use its fat for cooking, just as we use olive oil," said Rebecca.

"Ugh! What a horrid idea. I should be afraid to eat anything in the house of a Christian, for fear of being poisoned," cried Esther. "Mamma has told me they sometimes die of diseases we Hebrews never have. It is probably because they eat pork and use lard."

"No doubt of it, Esther," answered Rebecca. "It is a wise law of our religion that forbids us to eat any food obtained from the hog."

"We must not stop to talk too much, though. See! our friends are getting ahead of us."

Nothing more was said for some time.

"It is surprising how quickly we finished," said one of the women to Rebecca, as the last basket was emptied. "It is because our friends gave us so much help. Won't you come to the house with us now and have a luncheon?"

"No, thank you," answered Rebecca. "It is nearly supper time, and I must go home and do some cooking."

"I am anxious to see the dear little gazelle again," said Esther.

As she walked back to her friend's house Rebecca told her stories about wild gazelles.

"They like to keep together," she said. "They are very fond of each other's company. While they are feeding, one of them stands on guard to see if any enemies are stealing upon them. If he hears a sound that means danger, he gives the alarm and away the flock flees like the wind."

"I have often heard father speak of being as fleet as a gazelle," said Esther. "But what are its worst enemies?"

"The lion and the leopard, I suppose. Poor little creature! If a lion takes it by surprise, there is little hope for its life. Its only chance is in flight.

"There are times when less dangerous animals come upon a herd of gazelles, and then they make a stand to defend themselves. They gather in a close mass, with the mothers and little ones in the centre. The males make a ring on the outside, pointing their horns toward the enemy."

"Isn't it wonderful they should be so wise? How did you learn so much about gazelles, Rebecca?"

"Levi told me. But I must hurry now to get supper. We are going to have something nice."

Rebecca was a good cook. Although Esther was quite hungry from being out-of-doors so much, it did not seem very long before a roast goose and a dish of onions were steaming on the supper table.

"It is ready just in time, Levi," said his wife, as her husband and Solomon came into the house.

"I am quite tired, but the smell of the supper is enough to make me forget all about it. Tired as I was, though, I stopped to feed my faithful camel."

"How old is he?" asked Solomon.

"My father had him before he was six months old, and that was twenty years ago. I was a little fellow just toddling about then. So, you see, the camel and I grew up together."

LEVI AND HIS CAMEL.

"It is no wonder you love him, Levi," said Solomon. "I don't believe I ever saw a baby camel."

"Isn't it hard work training a camel to obey you, and to kneel at your command?"

"Father said he had to use a great deal of patience at first. The camel kicked and fought and grumbled before he could be made to bend his knees. Even now, he scolds a good deal about obeying, as you children know."

"Esther and I saw a camp of Bedouins on our way here," said Solomon. "They were tending a flock of beautiful sheep. One of the shepherds was holding a new-born lamb in his bosom."

"Those fierce Bedouins are tender to their flocks, but cruel to men," said Levi. "You cannot trust them for a moment. They look down upon us village people. But in our hearts we scorn them."

"They are dreadful thieves," said Rebecca. "When I was up in Jerusalem, the other day, I heard a story about a Bedouin woman who went last summer into a rich man's garden. The owner of the place was just coming into the entrance when he met the woman with a basket of lettuce on her head. She was a relation of one of his servants. He stopped and asked her several questions about her errand there. She told him she had just been to his place to try to sell her lettuce, but she could not do it, as the garden contained all his family could use.

"The gentleman supposed she was telling the truth. What was his surprise, then, when he found out after she was safe out of sight that the woman had stolen every head of lettuce out of his garden!"

"It is just like the deceitful creatures," said Levi. "I dislike the sight of them."

"Are you going to have much honey this year?" asked Solomon.

"Yes, I have several swarms of bees, and I hope they will do well."

"It won't be long before we shall have some fresh honey," said Rebecca. "Then you children must pay us another visit, for I know you like sweet things."

"I wish we didn't need to go home to-morrow. But mother said we mustn't stay here any longer this time. By and by, though, there will be more wild flowers to pick, and I had rather be here then. I love to get big bunches of tulips and poppies and trim the house with them."

"How many red flowers we have here in Palestine!" said Rebecca.

She did not know that Christian travellers from other parts of the world speak of them as the "Saviour's Blood Drops." They are sure to notice the fields dotted with brilliant scarlet flowers.

"Do you want me to tell you a story of King Solomon?" asked Levi. "Your speaking of the honey and the flowers put it into my mind."

"Of course we do," said both children.

"Very well, then. It is about the visit of the Queen of Sheba with her generals and armies. As she approached, the great king received her sitting on his throne in that wondrous palace of which you have heard so much.

"'Is he as wise as people say?' the queen said to her attendants. 'I will find this out for myself.'

"Now it happened that her subjects were noted for their skill in making artificial flowers. Those who made it their business to study flowers could not tell the difference between real ones and these imitation ones, they were so perfect.

"The queen decided to test King Solomon's wisdom in this matter. She ordered two beautiful wreaths to be prepared. One was to be made of real flowers and the other of artificial ones. Taking the two wreaths in her hands, she presented herself before the king.

"'Choose one of these for yourself,' she said.

"There seemed to be no choice as to which he would take, although he looked at them closely. But his wise mind told him there must be some difference. The birds and insects could tell him which one to take. He looked out of a window and saw honey-bees in the garden below. Then he knew what to do. He ordered the window to be