may take the place of leader at my death by
setting an example of prompt and willing obedience to his orders. It
is easy for an ambitious man to remove a lad from his path, and your
safety absolutely demands that you shall give him no reason whatever
to regard you as a rival.

"I trust that all this advice may not be needed and that we may
conquer in to-morrow's fight, but if we are beaten the probability
that I shall escape is very small, and it is therefore as well that
you should be prepared for whatever may happen. If you find that in
spite of following my advice the leader of the people, whoever he
may be, is ill-disposed toward you, withdraw to the borders of the
country, collect as large a band as you can--there are always plenty
of restless spirits ready to take part in any adventure--and journey
with them to the far west, as so many of our people have done before,
and establish yourself there and found a kingdom.

"None of those who have ever gone in that direction have returned, and
they must therefore have found space to establish themselves, for had
they met with people skilled in war and been defeated, some at least
would have found their way back; but so long as traditions have been
handed down to us tribes from the east have poured steadily westward
to the unknown land, and no band has ever returned."

His father spoke so seriously that Amuba lay down that night on his
couch of skins in a very different mood to that in which he had ridden
out. He had thought little of his mother's forebodings, and had looked
upon it as certain that the Rebu would beat the Egyptians as they had
done before, but his father's tone showed him that he too felt by no
means confident of the issue of the day.

As soon as daylight broke the Rebu stood to their arms, and an hour
later dense masses of the Egyptians were seen advancing. As soon as
these reached the edge of the slope and began to descend toward the
stream, the king ordered his people to advance to the edge of the
swamp and to open fire with their arrows.

A shower of missiles flew through the air and fell among the ranks of
the Egyptian footmen who had just arrived at the edge of the swamp. So
terrible was the discharge that the Egyptians recoiled and, retreating
halfway up the slope, where they would be beyond the reach of the
Rebu, in turn discharged their arrows. The superiority of the Egyptian
bowmen was at once manifest. They carried very powerful bows, and