The captain urged the men to put forth all their strength, and very soon
the boat was flying along under the western shore, and divided by an oozy
flat from the eastern bank. Day was breaking, and the sky was tinged red
as with blood--a sinister omen that this morning was destined to witness
bitter strife and gaping wounds.

The seed sown by Katharina was beginning to grow. At the bishop's request
the Vekeel had despatched a troop of horse in pursuit of the nuns, with
orders to bring the fugitives back to Memphis and take their escort
prisoners. As the boat had slipped by the toll watch unperceived, the
Arabs had been obliged to divide, so as to follow down each arm of the
Nile. Twelve horsemen had been told off to pursue the Phasmetic branch;
for by every calculation these must suffice for the capture of a score or
so of nuns, and a handful of sailors would scarcely dare to attempt to
defend themselves. The Vekeel had heard nothing of the addition to the
party of the ship-master and his sons.

The pursuers had set out at noon of the previous day, and had overtaken
the vessel about two hours before daylight. But their leader thought it
well to postpone the attack till after sunrise, lest any of the fugitives
should escape. He and his men were all Arabs, and though well acquainted
with the course of that branch of the river which they were to follow,
they were not familiar with its peculiarities.

As soon as the morning star was invisible, the Moslems performed their
devotions, and then rushed out of the papyrus-beds. Their leader, making
a speaking trumpet of his hand, shouted to the boat his orders to stop.
He was commissioned by the governor to bring it back to Fostat. And the
fugitives seemed disposed to obey, for the boat lay to. The captain had
recognized the speaker as the captain of the watch from Fostat, an
inexorable man; and now, for the first time, he clearly understood the
deadly peril of the enterprise. He was accustomed, no doubt, to evade the
commands of his superiors, but would no more have defied them than have
confronted Fate; and he at once declared that resistance was madness, and
that there was no alternative but to yield. Rufinus, however, vehemently
denied this; he pointed out to him that the same punishment awaited him,
whether he laid down his arms or defended himself, and the old
ship-wright eagerly exclaimed:

"We built this boat, and I know you of old, Setnau; You will not turn
Judas--and