, I am like an orphan in the desert when looking for
a pathway."

Nitager's scar-covered officers listened with astonishment to the ready
speech of Eunana, and thought, "He will be raised above others!"

"Eunana," said the minister, "Thou art not only diligent, but pious;
not only pious, but watchful as an ibis over water. The gods have
poured out on thee every virtue: they have given thee serpent cunning,
with the eye of a falcon."

"Pure truth flows from thy lips, worthiness," added Eunana. "Were it
not for my wonderful sight, I should not have seen the two scarabs."

"Yes, and Thou wouldst not have saved our camp from sacrilege. For this
deed, worthy of the most pious Egyptian, I give thee."

Here the minister took a gold ring from his finger.

"I give thee this ring with the name of the goddess Mut, whose favor
and prudence will accompany thee to the end of thy worldly wandering,
if Thou deserve it."

His worthiness delivered the ring to Eunana, and those present uttered
a great shout in honor of the pharaoh, and rattled their weapons.

As Herhor did not move, Eunana stood and looked him in the eyes, like a
faithful dog which having received one morsel from his master is
wagging his tail and waiting.

"And now," continued the minister, "confess, Eunana, why Thou didst not
tell whither the heir to the throne went when the army was marching
along the ravine with such difficulty. Thou didst an evil deed, for we
had to sound the alarm in the neighborhood of the enemy."

"The gods are my witnesses that I know nothing of the most worthy
prince," replied the astonished Eunana.

Herhor shook his head.

"It cannot be that a man gifted with such sight, a man who at some tens
of yards away sees sacred scarabs in the sand, should not see so great
a personage as the heir to the throne is."

"Indeed I did not see him!" explained Eunana, beating his breast.
"Moreover no one commanded me to watch Ramses."

"Did I not free thee from leading the vanguard? Did I assign to thee an
office?" asked the minister. "Thou wert entirely free, just like a man
who is called to important deeds. And didst Thou accomplish thy task?
For such an error in time of war Thou shouldst suffer death surely."

The ill-fated officer was pallid.

"But I have a paternal heart for thee, Eunana," said Herhor, "and,
remembering the great service which Thou hast rendered by discovering
the scarabs, I, not as a stern minister, but as a mild priest