nquired Pentuer, almost frightened.

"I know. Our infantry marches about thirteen Egyptian miles [Three
geographical miles] daily. The globe of the earth is so great that our
armies would require five whole years to march around it."

"O gods!" exclaimed Pentuer. "Does it not frighten thee, father, to
think of such subjects?"

Menes shrugged his shoulders.

"To measure size, what is there terrible in that? To measure the size
of a pyramid, or the earth is the same kind of problem. I did a more
difficult thing. I measured the distance of our temple from the palace
of the pharaoh without crossing the river."

"Terror!" exclaimed Pentuer.

"What terror? I have discovered a thing which beyond doubt ye will all
fear. But tell this to no one: in the month Paoni (June, July) there
will be an eclipse of the sun; night will come in the daytime. And may
I die a hunger death, if I have failed even three minutes in the
reckoning."

Pentuer touched the amulet which he wore on his breast, and uttered a
prayer.

"I have read," said he, "in sacred books that more than once to the
suffering of people it became night at midday. But what is that? I do
not understand."

"Dost Thou see the pyramid?" asked Menes on a sudden, pointing toward
the desert.

"I see it."

"Now put thy hand before thy eyes. Dost Thou see the pyramid? Thou dost
not. Well, the eclipse of the sun is the same kind of thing; the moon
passes between the sun and us, hides the father of light and makes
night in the daytime."

"And will that happen here?" inquired Pentuer.

"In the mouth Paoni. I have written about this to the pharaoh, thinking
that in return he would make some offering to the temple. But on
reading the letter he laughed at me, and commanded my messenger to take
the news to Herhor."

"Well, what did Herhor do?"

"Herhor gave us thirty measures of barley. He is the only man in Egypt
who reveres science, but the young pharaoh is frivolous."

"Do not be severe on him, father," interrupted Pentuer. "Ramses XIII
wishes to improve the lot of laborers and artisans, and give them every
seventh day to rest; he forbids to beat them without trial, and perhaps
he will find land for them."

"But I tell thee that he is light-minded," said the irritated Menes.
"Two months ago I sent him a great plan for lessening the toil of
laborers, and he laughed at me. He is conceited and ignorant!"

"Thou art prejudiced, father. But tell me thy plan and perha