Young Nicholas said nothing the rest of the way as he pondered what that meant. The sun sank low on the horizon before the ship at last reached Egypt and pulled into the busy port of Pelusium. Together, the two Nicholases set out in search of dinner. As they went, young Nicholas noticed the three Jewish men were following. His whole body tightened. Rather than wait for them to spring on them later when least expected, Nicholas spun about to confront them. “What would you have of us?” he demanded.
The men stopped in their tracks. His uncle turned to notice them. One of the men timidly stepped forward. He said, “I am Jacobus. We can speak more freely now that we are not on the ship. You must take great care when traveling. Carrying your money openly is an invitation to robbers.”
Nicholas let his arms relax. “Yes, thank you,” he said. “I have been warning my uncle of this.”
Jacobus held out a cloth belt. He said, “You are honest men. We would hate to see you robbed.”
Nicholas took the belt. In it, they had sewn pockets for coins just as he had done for his secret gold. Jacobus explained, “I suggest you wear this under your toga.”
Behind Nicholas, his uncle rummaged in the money pouch, saying, “We thank you. What do we owe you for it?”
“Nothing,” said Jacobus. “You may have it.”
“Grace to you,” said old Nicholas, offering the customary Greek greeting.
“Peace to you,” replied Jacobus in the Jewish custom. He added, “I advise you to watch yourselves with the Nabataean. He is not to be trusted.”
They parted ways and the two Nicholases resumed their search for dinner. Finding a bread and stew counter, they took their bowls to a table outside to catch the cool of the day.
As they sat at their benches, young Nicholas merely stared at his bowl. His uncle said, “Have you nothing to say?”
“I don’t know what to say. God would hold back the power of a storm just to speak to me? What can I say to that?”
His uncle paused. He smirked and suggested, “Thank you?”
“Yes,” said Nicholas with a smile. “I will give thanks.”
They spent the night on board the ship and the next day the other passengers rejoined them. The Nabateaen seemed less talkative with the money pouch out of sight. The three Jews returned to their silence. Nicholas could not understand why.
The men stopped in their tracks. His uncle turned to notice them. One of the men timidly stepped forward. He said, “I am Jacobus. We can speak more freely now that we are not on the ship. You must take great care when traveling. Carrying your money openly is an invitation to robbers.”
Nicholas let his arms relax. “Yes, thank you,” he said. “I have been warning my uncle of this.”
Jacobus held out a cloth belt. He said, “You are honest men. We would hate to see you robbed.”
Nicholas took the belt. In it, they had sewn pockets for coins just as he had done for his secret gold. Jacobus explained, “I suggest you wear this under your toga.”
Behind Nicholas, his uncle rummaged in the money pouch, saying, “We thank you. What do we owe you for it?”
“Nothing,” said Jacobus. “You may have it.”
“Grace to you,” said old Nicholas, offering the customary Greek greeting.
“Peace to you,” replied Jacobus in the Jewish custom. He added, “I advise you to watch yourselves with the Nabataean. He is not to be trusted.”
They parted ways and the two Nicholases resumed their search for dinner. Finding a bread and stew counter, they took their bowls to a table outside to catch the cool of the day.
As they sat at their benches, young Nicholas merely stared at his bowl. His uncle said, “Have you nothing to say?”
“I don’t know what to say. God would hold back the power of a storm just to speak to me? What can I say to that?”
His uncle paused. He smirked and suggested, “Thank you?”
“Yes,” said Nicholas with a smile. “I will give thanks.”
They spent the night on board the ship and the next day the other passengers rejoined them. The Nabateaen seemed less talkative with the money pouch out of sight. The three Jews returned to their silence. Nicholas could not understand why.
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