d be better to continue to maintain
their character as Persian traders until they had learned the exact
position of affairs. In order to be able to keep up their disguise
they had laid in a fresh stock of Persian goods at the last large town
through which they passed. Had Jethro been alone he could at once have
declared himself, and would have been received with joy as one who had
made his way back from captivity in Egypt; but for Amuba there would
have been danger in his being recognized until the disposition of the
occupant of the throne was discovered. There would, indeed, have been
small chance of his being recognized had he been alone. Nearly four
years had elapsed since he had been carried away captive, and he had
grown from a boy into a powerful young man; but had Jethro been
recognized his companion's identity might have been suspected, as he
was known to have been the special mentor and companion of the young
prince.

As to Amuba, he had no desire whatever to occupy the throne of the
Rebu, and desired only to reside quietly in his native country. The
large sum that Ameres had handed over to the care of Jethro had been
much diminished by the expenses of their long journey, but there was
still ample to insure for them all a good position in a country where
money was not abundant.

In their journey through Persia they had picked up many of the words
of that language differing from those of the Rebu, and using these in
their conversation they were able to pass well as traders who in their
previous journeys in the land had acquired a fair knowledge of the
dialect of the people. They soon learned that an Egyptian garrison
still occupied the capital, that the people groaned under the
exactions necessary to pay the annual tribute, and that General
Amusis, who had, as Amuba's father expected he would do, seized the
throne of the Rebu after the departure of the main Egyptian army, was
in close intimacy with the Egyptian officials, and was in consequence
extremely unpopular among the people. He had, on his accession to
power, put to death all the relatives of the late king who could be
considered as rival claimants for the throne, and there could be
little doubt that did he suspect that Amuba had returned from Egypt he
would not hesitate to remove him from his path.

Amuba had several long consultations with Jethro as to his course. He
repeated to him the conversation that he had had with his father on
the day previou