They hurried him towards the pit.
Perhaps when Joseph heard their voices at the pit's mouth, and when they drew him up and lifted him out into the sunshine again, he thought for a moment that they meant to be kind to him after all. But that thought soon vanished.
The Midianite merchants were waiting, the bargain was struck, and very soon a rope was bound round his hands, and he was tied to the saddle of the man who had bought him. He knew now they had only taken him out of the pit to sell him as a slave.
Meanwhile Reuben had been keeping out of sight, waiting to return and rescue his young brother as soon as it was safe to do so. Very cautiously at last he stole back. But, alas! when he reached the pit he found that it was empty. In his distress he forgot his caution, and cared no longer if his brothers guessed what he had meant to do.
"The child is not, and I, whither shall I go?" he cried to them in bitter sorrow when he met them.
With angry, sullen looks they told him that Joseph was now far away on his road to Egypt. Reuben must keep their secret. There was but one thing to be done. Joseph's coat lay there, just as they had torn it off his back. They would dip the coat in goat's blood and carry it to their father.
The poor, gay-coloured little coat, all blood-stained and torn, was brought and held up before Jacob's eyes.
"This have we found," said the brothers; "know now whether it be thy son's coat or no?"
Did he not, indeed, know that coat of many colours? Had he not matched and joined together each of the pieces? Had not his heart been filled with pride and love as he watched the boy wearing it with such a gallant air?
"It is my son's coat!" he cried with a bitter cry of grief; "an evil beast hath devoured him! Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces!"