ps I may
assist in applying it."

"Plan?" repeated the old man. "It is not a plan, it is a great fact."

He rose from the bench and went then with Pentuer to a pond in the
garden, at which was an arbor concealed altogether by plant growth. In
this structure was a large wheel in perpendicular position with a
number of buckets on the outer rim of it. Menes went into the centre
and began to move his feet; the wheel turned and the buckets took water
from the pond and poured it into a trough which stood somewhat higher.

"A curious instrument!" said Pentuer.

"But dost Thou divine what it may do for the people of Egypt?"

"No."

"Then imagine this wheel to be five or ten times greater than it is,
and that instead of a man a pair of bullocks are moving it."

"Something something appears to me," said Pentuer, "but still I do not
understand clearly."

"It is very simple," said Menes. "By means of this wheel oxen and
horses might raise water from the Nile and pour it into higher
channels. In that way half a million of men might have rest instead of
working at buckets. Now Thou seest that wisdom does more for the
welfare of mankind than pharaohs."

Pentuer shook his head.

"How much timber would be needed for that change! How many oxen, how
much pasture. It seems to me, father, that thy wheel would not take the
place of the seventh day for rest."

"I see that office has not benefited thee," replied Menes, shrugging
his shoulders. "But though Thou hast lost that alertness which I
admired in thee, I will show still another thing. Perhaps when Thou
hast returned to wisdom, and I am dead, Thou wilt work at improving and
spreading my inventions."

They went back to the pylon, and Menes put some fuel under a brass
kettle. He blew the flame and soon the water was boiling. On the kettle
was a perpendicular spout covered with a heavy stone. When the kettle
began to hiss, Menes said,

"Stand in this niche and look."

He touched a crank fastened to the spout; in one moment the heavy stone
flew through the air and hot steam filled the chamber.

"Wonderful!" cried Pentuer. But soon he calmed himself and asked,

"Well, but how will that stone improve the condition of people in
Egypt?"

"The stone in no way. But," said the sage, now impatient, "I will say
this to thee, and do Thou remember it: the time will come when horses
and oxen will take the place of people in labor, and also when boiling
water will take the place of