k, or we'll squeeze your brains out. Relax a little, Naon."

"In the boat mast." Hiram spit the words out one by one. "In the cabin.
There is a peg. Pull it out. The mast is hollowed. You will find the
papers. Woe! woe! cursed the day I was born. Cursed my mother for bearing
me."

The miserable creature fell to the deck, pressing his hands to his temples
and moaning in agony. No one heeded him now. Cimon himself ran below to
the mast, and wrenched the peg from its socket. Papyrus sheets were there,
rolled compactly, covered with writing and sealed. The navarch turned over
the packet curiously, then to the amazement of the sailors seemed to
stagger against the mast. He was as pale as Hiram. He thrust the packet
into the hands of his _proreus_, who stood near.

"What make you of this seal? As you fear Athena, tell the truth."

"You need not adjure me so, captain. The device is simple: Theseus slaying
the Minotaur."

"And who, in Zeus's name, do you know in Athens who uses a seal like
that?"

Silence for a moment, then the _proreus_ himself was pale.

"Your Excellency does not mean--"

"Democrates!" cried the trembling navarch.

"And why not Democrates?" The words came from the released prisoner, who
had been so silent, but who had glided down and stood at Cimon's elbow. He
spoke in a changed voice now; again the navarch was startled.

"Is Themistocles on the _Nausicaae_?" asked the stranger, whilst Cimon
gazed on him spellbound, asking if he himself were growing mad.

"Yes--but your voice, your face, your manner--my head is dizzy."

The stranger touched him gently on the hand.

"Have I so changed, you quite forget me, Cimon?"

The son of Miltiades was a strong man. He had looked on Hiram's tortures
with a laugh. To his own death he would have gone with no eyelash
trembling. But now the rest saw him blench; then with a cry, at once of
wonder and inexpressible joy, his arms closed round the tattered outlaw's
neck. Treason or no treason--what matter! He forgot all save that before
him was his long-time comrade.

"My friend! My boyhood's friend!" and so for many times they kissed.

The _Nausicaae_ had followed the chase at easy distance, ready with aid in
case the _Bozra_ resisted. Themistocles was in his cabin with Simonides,
when Cimon and Glaucon came to him. The admiral heard his young navarch's
report, then took the unopened packet and requested Cimon and the poet to
withdraw. As their feet sounded on t