The Bronze Bow - Elizabeth George Speare [34]
"Buy? He is a Zealot. He can give a scrap of metal for the cause."
Daniel woke next morning hoping that Rosh had forgotten, but he saw at once that the leader was more determined than ever. He gave Daniel no money. All the way to the village Daniel tried to think of an argument that would convince Simon. The metal parts that he needed were costly. Rosh seemed to think he could snatch them as he might a squash from a village garden. It occurred to him that perhaps, unknown to Rosh, he could offer to do a day's work in Simon's shop.
The smithy was closed, a bar and padlock across the door. Strange, for if Simon had gone off about the village to fit a lock or repair a plow, he would have left the shop open to customers. Daniel sat down on the stone doorstep to wait. After a time he felt uneasy. The unoccupied feel of the place grew on him, and he was not surprised when a passing villager called out to him.
"If you're waiting for the smith you'll have a long wait. Shop hasn't been open for a month."
"Where is Simon?" Daniel called back.
"Left town. Heard he went after a preacher, one who came through here awhile back. There's a new smith in Chorazin, if you want some work done."
Gone after a preacher! All at once Daniel remembered the Sabbath morning and the strange look in Simon's eyes. "I don't know what he means," Simon had said, "but I intend to find out."
What could Simon have found that would keep him for a month?
Daniel had not lived with Rosh for five years without learning that there was no use going back without the rivet. He knew well enough, too, what Rosh would expect. But Simon had been good to him. He refused to break into Simon's shop and help himself. There was nothing to do but find Simon, and with the thought he knew a deep satisfaction. He knew that all along he had hoped for an excuse to go to Capernaum.
Would he be recognized in the city? Daniel thought not. He had a hunch about Romans. To him every stupid Roman face looked alike. He had an idea that to the Romans every Jew would look alike too. He was sure they seldom bent their stiff necks to take a good look at one. There was little likelihood that the soldier on horseback would remember the boy at the well. At any rate, it was worth the chance. He got to his feet and set out for Capernaum.
He reached the city in the early afternoon and made his way straight to the harbor. If anyone knew where the preacher could be found, it would be those fishermen and their wives. They had taken the carpenter's coming for granted. Surely they must know where he spent the rest of his day.
There was no bustle at this hour. The Jews jested that no one worked in the heat of the day but dogs and soldiers. The heavy barges bumped each other lazily, waiting for the next day's cargo. But farther along the shore he saw a few slow-moving figures, men lazily preparing their fishing boats for the night's work.
Daniel approached a fisherman who was folding in a long net. "I am looking for a preacher," he said. "I heard him talk here one morning."
"You mean the carpenter." The man nodded. "He's back in town again. He'll be here tomorrow without a doubt."
"Do you know where I could find him now?"
"That would be hard to do. Sometimes he goes about preaching. Sometimes he takes a woodturning job. But at night you could find him at the house of Simon bar Jonas in Bethsaida. He sleeps there."
Bethsaida was scarcely two miles the other side of the city, and there were many hours to spare before nightfall. Daniel had the excuse he wanted. He climbed the hill to the house of Hezron. He located the hinged door, and it swung open at his touch. He picked up a sharp pebble and scratched the shape of a bow on the mud wall, and looking carefully up and down the street, crawled through the door and along the passage.
He waited for a long time. Twice he cautiously pushed open the door and peered out, knowing by the shadows on the street that he must soon be on his way. When he had almost given up hope, Joel came crawling along the passage.
"I've checked