They sat in silence till their brother came up to them. His face was very pale and he was trembling with excitement. He was also very angry.
Going over to Nephi, he said, with a loud voice, "I told you before we started that we would not get the book, but you would not believe me. Do you believe me now?"
"We are sorry," said Nephi, "that your visit to Laban was in vain. Will you please tell us why you failed to get the book?"
"When I told Laban what I wanted," said Laman, "he became very angry. He called me a thief and a robber, and said if I did not leave his house at once he would kill me. He reached for his sword, and I had to run as fast as I could to save my life. Come, let us go back to our father."
"No," said Nephi, "I am not going to give up with one trial. I still believe we will get the book."
"O, you do," said Laman, and he turned up his nose in a sneering way. "Pray, how do you hope to get the book when I could not get it?"
"I believe the Lord will help us to get it," said Nephi. "I have just thought of a plan, and if you boys will help me carry it out, it may be the means of getting us the book."
"Well, let us hear your plan," said Laman.
"It is this," said Nephi: "that we go down to the place where we used to live, get all the money our father left there, and come back and offer it to Laban for the book."
"That is a good idea," said Sam. "I am ready to go."