to facts, and he told Peter that even his own money was not altogether his own money, for he had a partner in Jericho and it would be hard to take his money out of the business and give it all to the poor.  Giving it to the poor in Galilee, he said, would deprive my camel-drivers of their living.  Which, Peter observed, would be a cruel thing to do, for a man must be allowed to get his living, whether he be from Jericho or Galilee, fisher or camel-driver or sail-maker.  Which reminds me, Philip, that thou be’st a long time over the sail I was to have had at the end of last month.  And the twain began to wrangle so that Joseph thought they would never end, so prolix was Philip in his explanations.  He had had to leave the sail unsewn, was all he had to say, but he embroidered on this simple fact so largely that Joseph lost patience and began to tell them he had come to Galilee, Pilate wishing him to add the portage of wheat from Moab to the trade already started in figs and dates.  So Pilate is in the business, Peter ejaculated, for Peter did not think that a Jew should have any dealings with Gentiles, and this opinion, abruptly expressed, threw the discourse again into disarray.  But Pilate is in Jerusalem, Joseph began.  And has he brought the Roman eagles with him?  Peter interrupted.  And seeing that these eagles would lead them far from the point which he was anxious to have settled—­whether the trade he was doing between Jerusalem and Jericho prevented him from being a disciple—­Joseph began by assuring Peter that the eagles had been sent back to Caesarea.  Caesarea, Peter muttered, our Master has been there, and says it is as full as it can hold of graven images.  Well, Peter, what I have come to say is, that were I to disappoint Pilate he might allow the robbers to infest the hills again, and all my money would be lost, and my partner’s money, and the camel-drivers would be killed; and if my convoys did not arrive in Jerusalem there might be bread riots.  How would you like that, Peter?

Now what do ye say to that, Peter? and Philip looked up into Peter’s great broad face.  Only this, Peter answered, that money will shipwreck our Community sooner or later—­we’re never free from it.  Like a fly, Philip suggested, the more we chase it away the more it returns.  The fly cannot resist a sweating forehead, Philip, Peter said.  Thine own is more sweaty than mine, Philip retorted, and a big blue fly is drinking his belly full though thou feelest him not, being as callous as a camel.  The Master’s teaching is, Peter continued, having driven off the fly, that no man should own anything, that everyone should have the same rights, which seems true enough till we begin to put it into practice, for if I were to let whosoever wished take my boats and nets to go out fishing, my boats and nets would be all at the bottom of the lake before the sun went down as like as not, for all men don’t understand fishing.  As we must have fish to live I haven’t parted with my boats;