as a mere hut
in Thebes, and our temples, of which we thought so much, are pygmies
by the side of these immense edifices."

"All that is true enough, Amuba, and I do not say that I, too, am not
filled with admiration, and yet you know the Rebu several times drove
back their forces, and man for man are more than a match for their
soldiers. Our people are taller than they by half a head. We have not
so much luxury, nor did we want it. All this must make people
effeminate."

"Perhaps so," Amuba assented; "but you must remember it is not so very
long ago that we were a people living in tents, and wandering at will
in search of pasture, and we have not, I think, become effeminate
because we have settled down and built towns. No one can say that the
Egyptians are not brave; certainly it is not for us to say so, though
I agree with you that physically they are not our equals. See how the
people stare and point at us, Jethro. I should think they have never
seen a race like ours with blue eyes and fair hair, though even among
them there are varying shades of darkness. The nobles and upper
classes are lighter in hue than the common people."

The surprise of the Egyptians was indeed great at the complexion of
their captives, and the decoration of their walls has handed down in
paintings which still remain the blue eyes and fair hair of the Rebu.
The rejoicings upon the return of the king went on for several days;
at the end of that time the captives were distributed by the royal
order. Some were given to the generals who had most distinguished
themselves. Many were assigned to the priests, while the great bulk
were sent to labor upon the public works.

The Rebu captives, whose singular complexion and fairness caused them
to be regarded with special interest, were distributed among the
special favorites of the king. Many of the girls were assigned to the
queen and royal princesses, others to the wives of the priests and
generals who formed the council of the king. The men were, for the
most part, given to the priests for service about the temples.

To his great delight Amuba found that Jethro and himself were among
the eight captives who were assigned to the service of the priests of
one of the great temples. This was scarcely the effect of chance, for
the captives were drawn up in line, and the number assigned to each
temple were marched off together in order that there might be no
picking and choosing of the captives, but t