he will, I think, do good in the world. He has not the
strength and vigor of Amuba, but he is not behind other lads of his
age. He has been well educated. His mind is active and his heart
good. I look to you, Jethro, to save him, if it be possible, with
Amuba, for I fear that Amuba is in as much danger as he is.

"Should the slaves be seized and questioned, and perhaps flogged, till
they say what they know, the fact would be sure to come out that the
two lads were together among the animals on the morning before the cat
was missed. It will be noticed, too, that they took with them their
bows and arrows. It will therefore be assumed that the responsibility
of the act lies upon both of them. Chebron, I know, would proclaim the
truth if he had an opportunity for speech, but an angry crowd does not
stop to listen, and the same fate will befall them both.

"You who are a stranger to our manners can hardly conceive the frenzy
of excitement and rage in which the population of Egypt are thrown by
the killing of a cat. I doubt whether even the king's person would be
held sacred were the guilt of such an offense brought home to him;
and, of course, the fact that this unfortunate beast was to have gone
to the temple of Bubastes makes its death a matter ten times graver
than ordinary. Therefore should the storm burst, there is no hope for
either of them but in flight. The question is, whither could they fly?

"Certainly they would be safe nowhere in Egypt. Nor were it possible
that they could journey north and reach the sea, could they do so
before the news reached the ports. Naturally messengers would be sent
to the frontier towns, and even the governors of the provinces lying
east of the Great Sea would hear of it; and could they leave the
country and cross the desert they might be seized and sent back on
their arrival. For the same reason the routes from here to the ports
on the Arabian Sea are closed to them. It seems to me that their only
hope of safety lies in reaching the country far up the Nile and
gaining Meroe, over whose people the authority of Egypt is but a
shadow; thence possibly they might some day reach the Arabian Sea,
cross that and pass up through the country east of the Great Sea, and
traveling by the route by which you came hither reach your country.
Long before they could leave the savage tribes and start upon their
journey this matter would have been forgotten, and whatever dangers
might befall them, that o