Did I not beg you not to hurt the child?" said Reuben.
They did not know, of course, that the great ruler could understand what they were saying in their own language; but as Joseph listened he was obliged to turn away to hide the tears that were in his eyes.
[Illustration: Lord and ruler over all the land of Egypt.]
There was nothing for it but to agree to the conditions, so it was decided that Simeon should be left behind, and the order was given that all the sacks should be filled with corn, and that every man's ass should be laden with as much corn as could be carried; only, instead of taking money for the corn, Joseph ordered that it should be secretly hidden in the sacks, each man's money in his sack of corn.
So the men started off on their journey home, and travelling all day came at night to an inn to rest. There one of the men opened his sack to give his ass some food. What, then, was his surprise to find his bundle of money tied up in the mouth of his sack!
The oth
