But now Nephi had a new problem. The moment he had called out to his brethren and identified himself, the servant of Laban was terrified. The scripture says the poor man began to tremble as he realized that he had been collaborating with the very men his true master had ordered to be killed just a short time before. And even worse, he had actually given into Nephi's hands the most sacred and precious heirloom belonging to the house of Joseph -- the plates of brass, something his master had refused to trade for all the wealth of Lehi. In a state of panic and shock the servant of Laban started to flee from them. Of course this would have been disastrous. The whole city could have been aroused. Nephi knew he had to do something desperately and quickly.