o said. "We may find happiness in
Egypt as elsewhere; and now let us try to cheer up our companions, for
in cheering them we shall forget our own misfortunes."

Jethro and Amuba went among the rest of the captives, most of whom
were prostrated with grief, and did their best to rouse them from
their stupor.

"The Egyptians have seen that the Rebu are men in the field," Amuba
said to some of them. "Let them see that we can also bear misfortune
like men. Grieving will not mitigate our lot, nay, it will add to its
burden. If the Egyptians see that we bear our fate manfully they will
have far more compassion upon us than if they see that we bemoan
ourselves. Remember we have a long and toilsome journey before us, and
shall need all our strength. After all, the hardship of our lot is as
nothing to that of the women yonder. We are accustomed to exercise and
toil, but the journey, which we can support as well as the Egyptians,
will be terrible to them, delicate in nature as they are. Let us
therefore set them an example of courage and patience; let us bear
ourselves as men whose suffering is unmerited, who have been conquered
but not disgraced, who are prepared to defy fate and not to succumb to
it."

Amuba's words had a great effect upon the captives. They regarded him
with respect as the son of their late king, and as one who would have
been king himself had not this misfortune befallen them; and his
calmness and manly speech encouraged them to strive against their
grief and to look their fate more hopefully in the face. As long as
the army remained in camp the hands of the captives were tied behind
them, but when the march was begun they were relieved of their bonds
and were placed in the center of an Egyptian regiment.

It was a long and tedious journey. On the way the train of captives
was very largely increased by those who had been taken in the earlier
conquests of the army, and who had been left in charge of the troops
told off to the various provinces brought into subjection by the
Egyptians until the army passed through on its homeward march.
Provisions had been everywhere collected to supply it on its progress,
and as the distance traversed each day was small the captives suffered
but little until they entered upon the passage of the desert tract
between the southern point of Syria and the mouth of the Nile.

Here, although vast quantities of water were carried in the train of
the army, the supply given to the