"This is strange!" they said; and they put the idol back upon the Ark again. The next morning, again was the idol found upon the floor, its hands and its head broken. Then a dreadful plague settled upon the people. "It is the idol of the Israelites that has done all this!" the people cried. "Let us send it away!" So the Ark was sent to Gath; but there a plague fell upon the people. "We will not have it among us!" the people of Gath cried; so they sent it on to Ekron. But when the people of Ekron saw it coming, they cried out, "Take away this idol of the Israelites! We fear the plague that is sure to come with it!" At last the Philistines said, "We will not have it in our land." So they placed it upon a cart, and they fastened two cattle to the cart. Then they set the cart upon a road leading towards Bethshemesh and bade the oxen go. The oxen, obedient, carried the Ark out upon the road, turning neither to the right nor to the left, and straight into the village of Bethshemesh. Now, the people of the village were at work in their fields, for it was harvest time. They heard the coming of the cart and looked. "It is the Ark! It is the Ark!" they cried; and the Levites came and took the Ark and set it upon a great stone. Then followed a day of great sacrifice and rejoicing. And the Israelites later repented of all their sins, and came to Samuel and asked him what they should do. [Illustration: RETURN OF THE ARK TO BETHSHEMESH.] Samuel called them all to him at Mizpah, and there he prayed for them and taught them wisely and well. But as he was teaching them and offering sacrifices, lo! a great army of Philistines drew near. They had come again to fight the Israelites. But Samuel bade them have no fear; for this time it was the Philistines that were to be conquered and not the Israelites. So the Israelites made ready for battle; but, before they were ready, a great black cloud rolled up across the sky. The winds blew, the hail fell, and the skies blazed with terrible lightnings. Never had such a storm been known either to Philistines or Israelites. "Fear not," Samuel said; "this is God's hand." And the Philistines fled in terror. Then, when the storm was over, and again the sun shone out, Samuel took a great stone and set it up near Mizpah; and the stone at Mizpah was for a sign to the Israelites that "God shall watch ever over thee and me." And Samuel named the stone Ebenezer--which means, a stone of help. For many years now Samuel had been judge over Israel; and so long as the people obeyed him they were safe and happy. But there came a time when Samuel was an old, old man. Then the Israelites came to him and said, "Thou art very old; thy sons, who now judge over us, are not like thee. Let us have a king." But Samuel said, "God only is the king of the Israelites."