It sprang up and started toward Rebecca. But, when it had come half-way, it became frightened again at the sight of the visitors. The food looked too tempting, however, and it came to Rebecca's side. "I believe no other animal has as beautiful eyes as the gazelle. It is certainly the most graceful of all creatures," said Levi. "See how white its breast is!" said Esther. "The dear little thing! Mayn't I hold it for just a minute?" "Certainly, dear." Rebecca was very fond of Esther and her brother. She loved to have them visit her. She picked up the gazelle and put it in the little girl's lap as soon as she had seated herself on a pile of straw. Esther patted the gazelle tenderly. "It is better than any doll. I wish I had one of my own. I should love it dearly." "I cannot stop any longer now," said Levi. "My old camel is wondering why I don't go to work. Are you coming with me, Solomon?" "Of course I am," answered the boy, and the two started for the field. "What shall we do with ourselves?" asked Rebecca, when she and Esther had been left alone. "Oh, I know what you would like," she went on. "We will go over into our neighbour's orchard. He is gathering olives, and we will watch him." "I would like that ever so much," answered her little visitor. It took them only a few minutes to get to the olive orchard. The owner and his sons were heating the branches with long sticks, and knocking off the fruit to the ground. Two women were busily at work gathering the olives in baskets. As soon as a basket was filled, it was carried away and emptied, and then brought back to be filled again. It was surprising how quickly the women gathered their loads. Then away they would step with their baskets on their heads, walking as easily and gracefully as though they were free of all burdens whatever. "Come on and help us," they cried to Rebecca and Esther. "The more at work the merrier we shall be. There are two empty baskets under that tree." The visitors were soon busy trying to see if they could fill their baskets as quickly as the others did. "I am not tempted to eat the olives," said Esther. "They are too bitter. But I am very fond of them after they are pickled." "So are we all," answered one of the women. "I don't know how we should get along without olives and the oil we make from them." "They say the Christians not only eat that unclean animal, the pig, but they also use its fat for cooking, just as we use olive oil," said Rebecca. "Ugh! What a horrid idea. I should be afraid to eat anything in the house of a Christian, for fear of being poisoned," cried Esther. "Mamma has told me they sometimes die of diseases we Hebrews never have. It is probably because they eat pork and use lard." "No doubt of it, Esther," answered Rebecca. "It is a wise law of our religion that forbids us to eat any food obtained from the hog." "We must not stop to talk too much, though. See! our friends are getting ahead of us."