e struck first
and spoken afterwards. Only you must swear by the oath which may not be
broken that in life or death no word of this shall pass your lips."

So they swore, both of them, by the holy name of Osiris, the judge and
the redeemer.

"Captain," said Abi, "you have served me well. Your pay is doubled, and
I confirm the promise that I made to you--should I ever rule yonder you
shall be my general."

While the soldier bowed his thanks, the prince said to Kaku,

"Master of the stars, my gold cup is yours. Is there aught else of mine
that you desire?"

"That slave," answered the learned man, "Merytra, whose ears you boxed
just now----"

"How do you know that I boxed her ears?" asked Abi quickly. "Did the
stars tell you that also? Well, I am tired of the sly hussy--take her.
Soon I think she will box yours."

But when Kaku sought Merytra to tell her the glad tidings that she was
his, he could not find her.

Merytra had disappeared.

CHAPTER II

THE PROMISE OF THE GOD

It was morning at Thebes, and the great city glowed in the rays of
the new-risen sun. In a royal barge sat Abi the prince, splendidly
apparelled, and with him Kaku, his astrologer, his captain of the guard
and three other of his officers, while in a second barge followed slaves
who escorted two chiefs and some fair women captured in war, also the
chests of salted heads and hands, offerings to Pharaoh.

The white-robed rowers bent to their oars, and the swift boat shot
forward up the Nile through a double line of ships of war, all of them
crowded with soldiers. Abi looked at these ships which Pharaoh had
gathered there to meet him, and thought to himself that Kaku had given
wise counsel when he prayed him to attempt no rash deed, for against
such surprises clearly Pharaoh was well prepared. He thought it again
when on reaching the quay of cut stones he saw foot and horse-men
marshalled there in companies and squadrons, and on the walls above
hundreds of other men, all armed, for now he saw what would have
happened to him, if with his little desperate band he had tried to
pierce that iron ring of watching soldiers.

At the steps generals met him in their mail and priests in their full
robes, bowing and doing him honour. Thus royally escorted, Abi passed
through the open gates and the pylons of the splendid temple dedicated
to the Trinity of Thebes, "the House of Amen in the Southern Apt,"
where gay banners fluttered from the pointed m