had said but her words faded out of his mind and he fell asleep again.
In this second sleep an old man rose up by his bedside and told him that
he was the prophet Samuel, who though he had been dead a thousand years
had heard him say he would like to be a prophet. But shall I be a
prophet? Joseph asked, and as Samuel did not answer he cried out as
loudly as he could: shall I? shall I?

What ails thee, Son? he heard his grandmother calling to him, and he
answered: an old man, an old man. Ye are dreaming, she mumbled between
sleeping and waking. Go to sleep like a good boy, and don't dream any
more. I will, Granny, and don't be getting up; the bed-clothes don't
want settling. I am well tucked in, he pleaded; and fell asleep praying
that Granny had not heard him ask Samuel if he would be a prophet.

A memory of his dream of Samuel came upon him while she dressed him, and
he hoped she had forgotten all about it; but his father mentioned at
breakfast that he had been awakened by cries. It was Joseph crying out
in his dream, Dan, disturbed thee last night: such cries, "Shall I?
Shall I?" And when I asked "What ails thee?" the only answer I got was
"An old man."

Dan, Joseph's father, wondered why Joseph should seem so disheartened
and why he should murmur so perfunctorily that he could not remember his
dream. But if he had forgotten it, why trouble him further? If we are to
forget anything it were well that we should choose our dreams; at which
piece of incredulity his mother shook her head, being firm in the belief
that there was much sense in dreams and that they could be interpreted
to the advantage of everybody.

Dan said: if that be so, let him tell thee his dream. But Joseph hung