He stepped out of the carriage and walked to the front, where he and Shem had a brief and discreet discussion while they pretended to check the harnesses and reins. Then he returned, and as soon as he slammed the carriage door we were off. After we had traveled only a few hundred yards, he nudged me and pointed his thumb out the rear window. Our whittler was no longer sitting on his rock, nor was he anywhere in sight. Complications like this I didn’t need. What I was trying to do would be tough enough even if nobody interfered. Joseph reached behind and pulled down the dark linen curtain that hung above the rear open window, preventing anyone who might be following us from seeing into the carriage. I learned why, soon enough.

Our four galloping horses scarcely slowed their gait when they turned left and headed east, placing the city at our backs. “Follow this road far enough and it will take you to Jericho,” the old man yelled above the creaks and groans from the carriage body as it was being bent and twisted by unsprung axles that scraped against deep wheel ruts in the single-lane dirt road that circled around the base of the Mount of Olives.

I was struggling too hard to keep my seat to do much sightseeing, but every now and then my head would snap low enough for me to catch a glimpse of bilious green meadows sloping off to my right from which slabs of pale limestone protruded with so much frequency that it was difficult to recognize the sheep and goats wandering aimlessly among them. Occasionally Joseph would move aside the rear curtain and nod with satisfaction. Apparently our “tail” was not in sight. Then the old man would lean over in front of me, intently studying the terrain as we jounced and bounced from side to side. We rode on for several more minutes before he yelled, “Get ready!”

Now I was not only hurting but confused. “Get ready for what?”

“We shall soon be approaching a sharp turn in the road. When we make that turn, Shem will slow down momentarily. Open the door as soon as he does and jump out. I shall be right behind you.”

Dust or no dust, my mouth flew open. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

He shook his head. He wasn’t kidding at all. “Get ready!” Suddenly the wagon turned abruptly to the right and there was a loud moan of wood against metal as Shem applied his hand brake. Joseph reached over in front of me and threw open the door. “Jump, Matthias!”

I did as I was told, rolling over in the soft grass and watching from my knees as the old man, with surprising agility, followed. He landed on his feet and ran toward me, hand extended. “Come.… Hurry!”