"Wait! He shall have a business," said Benjamin when Esther interpreted. "Don't listen to him," said Esther. "The Board of Guardians has started him again and again. But he likes to think he is a man of business." Meantime Isaac had been busy explaining Benjamin to Sarah, and pointing out the remarkable confirmation of his own views as to birthdays. This will account for Esther's next remark being, "Now, dears, no fighting to-day. We must celebrate Benjy's return. We ought to kill a fatted calf--like the man in the Bible." "What are you talking about, Esther?" said Benjamin suspiciously. "I'm so sorry, nothing, only foolishness," said Esther. "We really must do something to make a holiday of the occasion. Oh, I know; we'll have tea before you go, instead of waiting till supper-time. Perhaps Rachel'll be back from the Park. You haven't seen her yet." "No, I can't stay," said Benjy. "It'll take me three-quarters of an hour getting to the station. And you've got no fire to make tea with either." "Nonsense, Benjy. You seem to have forgotten everything; we've got a loaf and a penn'uth of tea in the cupboard. Solomon, fetch a farthing's worth of boiling water from the Widow Finkelstein." At the words "widow Finkelstein," the grandmother awoke and sat up. "No, I'm too tired," said Solomon. "Isaac can go." "No," said Isaac. "Let Estie go." Esther took a jug and went to the door. "Méshe," said the grandmother. "Go thou to the Widow Finkelstein." "But Esther can go," said Moses. "Yes, I'm going," said Esther. "Méshe!" repeated the Bube inexorably. "Go thou to the Widow Finkelstein." Moses went. "Have you said the afternoon prayer, boys?" the old woman asked. "Yes," said Solomon. "While you were asleep." "Oh-h-h!" said Esther under her breath. And she looked reproachfully at Solomon. "Well, didn't you say we must make a holiday to-day?" he whispered back. CHAPTER XV. THE HOLY LAND LEAGUE. "Oh, these English Jews!" said Melchitsedek Pinchas, in German. "What have they done to you now?" said Guedalyah, the greengrocer, in Yiddish. The two languages are relatives and often speak as they pass by.