od Chanon, promises a great victory to the Persian arms. When do
you think you shall be able to travel, Bartja?"

"To-morrow, if you like," was the answer. "The doctors say the
sea-voyage will do me good, and the journey by land to Smyrna is very
short."

"And I can assure you," added Zopyrus, "that Sappho will cure you sooner
than all the doctors in the world."

"Then we will start in three days;" said Darius after some
consideration, "we have plenty to do before starting. Remember we are
going into what may almost be called an enemy's country. I have been
thinking the matter over, and it seems to me that Bartja must pass for a
Babylonian carpet-merchant, I for his brother, and Zopyrus for a dealer
in Sardian red."

"Couldn't we be soldiers?" asked Zopyrus. "It's such an ignominious
thing to be taken for cheating peddlers. How would it be, for instance,
if we passed ourselves off for Lydian soldiers, escaped from punishment,
and seeking service in the Egyptian army?"

"That's not a bad idea," said Bartja, "and I think too that we look more
like soldiers than traders."

"Looks and manner are no guide," said Gyges. "Those great Greek
merchants and ship-owners go about as proudly as if the world belonged
to them. But I don't find Zopyrus' proposal a bad one."

"Then so let it be," said Darius, yielding. "In that case Oroetes must
provide us with the uniform of Lydian Taxiarchs."

"You'd better take the splendid dress of the Chiliarchs at once, I
think," cried Gyges.

"Why, on such young men, that would excite suspicion directly."

"But we can't appear as common soldiers."

"No, but as Hekatontarchs."

"All right," said Zopyrus laughing. "Anything you like except a
shop-keeper.--So in three days we are off. I am glad I shall just have
time to make sure of the satrap's little daughter, and to visit the
grove of Cybele at last. Now, goodnight, Bartja; don't get up too early.
What will Sappho say, if you come to her with pale cheeks?"

CHAPTER X.

The sun of a hot midsummer-day had risen on Naukratis. The Nile had
already begun to overflow its banks, and the fields and gardens of the
Egyptians were covered with water.

The harbor was crowded with craft of all kinds. Egyptian vessels were
there, manned by Phoenician colonists from the coasts of the Delta, and
bringing fine woven goods from Malta, metals and precious stones from
Sardinia, wine and copper from Cyprus. Greek triremes laden with
oil, wine