or
the purposes of the chase were now brought out to do service as
fighting weapons.

Many hundreds of spears and swords had been found in the stores at the
palace, and when these were served out most of the men had a weapon of
some sort. They were at once marched up to the Egyptian inclosure.
Those with bows and arrows were placed upon the walls; the rest were
massed near the gate in readiness to advance to the assistance of the
band within should the Egyptians make an attempt to cut their way out.
In point of numbers Amuba's forces were now superior to those of the
Egyptians, but he was well aware that the superior arms and discipline
of the latter would enable them to make a successful sortie should
they determine to do so.

The women of the town were ordered to set to work to grind the grain
served out from the magazine in the palace, and to bake bread both for
the fighting men present and for those expected to arrive. By noon
the latter began to flock in, the contingents from the towns arriving
in regular order, while the shepherds and villagers straggled in
irregularly as the news reached them of the events of the previous
night. By evening fully ten thousand men had arrived, and as the
Egyptians had remained quiet all day Amuba had every hope that they
had decided to accept the terms he offered, and that there would be no
occasion for further fighting. The troops, however, remained under
arms all night, ready to repel an attack, and in the morning Amuba and
Jethro mounted together on to the terrace of the building from which
the parley had taken place on the previous day.

A few minutes later the Egyptian governor and a group of his officers
appeared on the opposite house.

"This is King Amuba," Jethro said in a loud voice. "He is here to
confirm the terms offered yesterday, and to receive your answer."

"We are ready," the Egyptian governor said, "to retire beyond your
frontier, carrying with us our arms, standards, and valuables, it
being understood that we make no surrender whatever, but that we march
out on equal terms, holding, as we do, that we could, if we chose, cut
our way out in spite of any resistance."

"You may hold that belief," Amuba said (and the Egyptian was
astonished at finding that the king, as well as his general, was
capable of conversing in the Egyptian tongue); "and, indeed, knowing
and honoring the valor of the Egyptian troops, I admit it is possible
that, although with great loss