After telling of many famous rams they related the courage and fidelity of their dogs, none of which feared a wolf, and they mentioned that two had been lost in an encounter with a leopard—­but the flock had been saved.  As much as wolves the shepherds feared the eagles.  There are a dozen nests in yon mountain if there be one.  Take the strangers up the hillside, mate, so that they may get a sight of the birds.  And Azariah and Joseph followed the shepherd up to the crags and were shown some birds wheeling above rocks so steep that there was no foothold for man.  Or else we should have had their nests long ago, the shepherd said.  Now here is a bear’s trail.  He’s been seeking water here, but he didn’t get any; he came by here, and my word, he’s been up here after wild bees.  The shepherd showed scratches among the dropping resin, saying:  it was here that he clawed his way up.  But did he get the honey?  Joseph asked, a question the shepherd could not answer; and talking about bears and honey and eagles and lambs and wolves and lions, the afternoon passed away without their feeling it, till one of the shepherds said:  it is folding-time now; and answering to different calls the flocks separated, and the shepherds went their different ways followed by their flocks.

The sunset had begun to redden the sky, and the shadows of the trees drew out as they crossed the hillside and descended by the steep path into the valley.  The ascent that faced them was steep indeed, and Azariah had to rest several times, but at last they reached the slope on which the city was built:  but they did not enter the gates yet awhile but stood looking back, thinking of the day that had gone by.  We shall remember this day always, Joseph said, if we live to be as old as the patriarchs.  Was it then so wonderful?  Azariah asked, and Joseph could only answer:  yes, very wonderful.  Didn’t you think so? and tell me, he added, is it true that God is going to destroy the world and very soon?  Why do you ask, Joseph?  Azariah replied, and Joseph answered:  because the world is so very beautiful.  I never saw the world before to-day.  My eyes were opened, and I shall be sorry if God destroys the world, for I should like to see more of it.  But why should he make a beautiful world, and then destroy it?  Don’t you think he will relent when the time comes and the day be as beautiful as it was this morning?  Azariah answered him that God does not relent, for He knows the past and future as well as the present, and that the world was not as beautiful as it seems to be, for man is sinning always, though certainly God said all things are beautiful.  But perhaps we sinned this morning in the sight of God.  We sinned?  Joseph repeated.  How did we sin?  Have you forgotten, Azariah answered, that it was arranged that we should spend the day reading the Scriptures, and we’ve spent it talking to shepherds?  Was that a sin?  Joseph asked.  We can read the Scriptures to-morrow; if the day be