"When you go into a city or a village, find some family that will welcome a preacher; and stay in that home until you go to the next place. If nobody will listen to you, go somewhere else. But before you go, warn the people in the place which you are leaving that they have sinned by not paying attention to God's message." So the disciples went out and preached as Jesus told them. They healed the sick, as Jesus did. [Illustration] The trip was a great success. After many days the disciples began to come back home, with many stories about their experiences. When they were all with Jesus again, they sat down and told him everything they had said and done. Jesus listened to their stories, and then he said: "It is time for you to take a rest. Come with me to some lonely place where nobody will disturb us for a while." They got into their boat, and sailed up to a quiet place they knew of, near the town of Bethsaida. But they got no chance to rest after all, for the people at Capernaum saw them leaving. "There go Jesus and his disciples!" somebody said. "They're heading for Bethsaida!" A crowd of people began to walk around the shore of the lake. As they went, others joined them from the towns and countryside round about. Jesus was the most popular man in Galilee just then. Wherever he went, he might be sure that a crowd would follow him. The people walked and ran, and by hurrying they reached the quiet spot near Bethsaida as soon as Jesus did. When he stepped out of the boat, thousands of people were waiting for him on the shore. Jesus had gone away for a rest, but when he saw the people he felt sorry for them. _They are like a flock of sheep_, he thought--_a flock of sheep with no shepherd to look after them._ They had spoiled his holiday, but Jesus spoke to the people and said that he was glad to see them. Then he began to teach, just as he did in the cities and towns. All day long he taught, and if there were any who were sick, he healed them. The day wore on, and evening was drawing near. One or two of the disciples pulled Jesus' sleeve, and said to him: "Master, it is getting late. Hadn't you better send them away to find something to eat in the towns near by? There is nothing for them out here in the country." Jesus answered: "There is no need for them to go away. Give them something to eat right here!" The disciples looked at him as if they did not know whether he was serious or not. They said: "Do you mean that you want us to go and buy food for all these people? Where would we get enough money for that?" Andrew said: "There's a boy here with five loaves of bread and a couple of fishes. But how far will that go among five thousand people?" Jesus only answered, "Tell them to sit down on the grass." The disciples went among the crowd, and had the people sit down in groups, fifty in each group.