"And you are travelling through Palestine too?"
"In one way. I am living here - and life is a journey, you
know."
"You are living in Palestine?"
"In Jerusalem. I came here as a missionary, five years ago."
"How very nice!" I said. "And you can go with us?"
He shook my hand heartily, which he had not yet let go,
laughing, and asked where we were going?
"I want to see the Dead Sea, very much, Mr. Dinwiddie; and
papa was in doubt; but if you were with us there would be no
more difficulty."
"I shall be most happy to be with you. Do you know where you
are now?"
"I know a little. This is Elisha's fountain, isn't it?"
"Yes; and just hereabouts are the ruins of old Jericho."
"I did not know. I wondered, and wanted to know. But, Mr.
Dinwiddie, have you got a tent?"
"I never travel without one."
"Then it is all right," I said; "for we have a cook."
"I should not miss that functionary," he said, shaking his
head. "I am accustomed to act in that capacity myself. It is
something I have learned since I came from Virginia."
We were called to dinner and had no time then for anything
more. Our table was spread in front of the tents, in a clear
spot of greensward; in the midst, I thought, of all possible
delights that could be clustered together - except one. The
breeze was a balmy, gentle evening zephyr; the sunlight,
hidden from us by the Quarantania, shone on the opposite
mountains of Moab, bringing out colours of beauty; and glanced
from the water of the Dead Sea, and brightened the hues of the
green thickets on the plain. Jericho behind us, the Jordan in
front of us, the confusions of the world we live in thrust to
a great distance out of the way, - I sat down to the open-air
meal with a profound feeling of gratitude and joy. It was also
a relief to me to have Mr. Dinwiddie's company with papa; he
knew the land and the people and the ways of the land, and
could give such good help if help were needed. He could be
such good society too.
I fancied that papa's reception of Mr. Dinwiddie was rather
slack in its evidence of pleasant recollection; but however,
every shadow of stiffness passed away from his manner before
dinner was over. Mr. Dinwiddie made himself very acceptable;
and there, where we had so much to talk about, talk flowed in
full stream. It was arranged that the new member of our party
should be our guest and our travelling companion during as
much of our journey as his duties allowed; and I went to sleep
that night with a deep and full sense of satisfaction.