[Illustration: The daughter of Herodias dancing before Herod] The few followers who had still clung to John the Baptist, and visited him in his prison, took up his headless body and buried it. Then they went to Jesus and told him all the sad story of John's death. But Herod was not yet done with John the Baptist. Soon he began to hear wonderful stories of the new prophet, Jesus the Nazarene, who had risen up in John's place. He heard that amazing powers were shown by Jesus, that the sick were cured, the lepers were made clean, the blind were made to see, and, most wonderful of all, the dead were raised to life. People were saying to each other, "Who is this great Prophet that is working all these wonders?" Some said, "This is the old prophet Elijah, who has come to earth again." Others said, "If he is not Elijah, it may be Jeremiah or some other prophet of the old times." But Herod was filled with a terrible fear, for his conscience troubled him on account of his wicked deeds. He said: "I know who this is. It is John the Baptist, whose head I had cut off. He has come to life again. It is on his account that all these wonderful things are taking place!" Thus the bloody head of John the Baptist, like a terrible ghost, rose before the sight of Herod the king! [Illustration: After he had blessed the food and broken it, Jesus gave a portion to each of his disciples, who went among the people and fed them. As the loaves and fishes were broken they grew in their hands until every one had enough to eat.] The Boy with His Five Loaves CHAPTER 41 THE NEWS that King Herod had slain the holy prophet John the Baptist sent a thrill of horror to all who heard it. It came to the twelve disciples, who were just completing their work of preaching in the villages of Galilee. They feared that Herod might seize them and put them in prison; but they were more alarmed for their Master. Having slain John who had made Jesus known to the people, they feared that Herod might now try to kill Jesus himself. They all hastened to Capernaum, where they found Jesus, and gave him the report of the places which they had visited, the work which they had done in healing and helping people and the message which they had given everywhere about the Kingdom of God. The disciples found the crowds around Jesus greater than ever before; for not only had the preaching of these disciples aroused an interest in Jesus and led many to leave their homes and seek him, but the Passover, the greatest of all Jewish feasts, was to be held soon, and the city of Capernaum was thronged with people who were on their way to Jerusalem; for as you know, this feast was held only in that city, and from every part of the land people went up to Jerusalem to attend it.