"And now," said the minister, "summon for me Eunana." The officer covered with amulets was found as quickly as if he had been waiting for this summons a long time. On his countenance was depicted delight, which he restrained through humility, but with effort. Herhor, seeing Eunana before him, began,-- "By the will of his holiness, supreme command of the army comes into my hands again with the ending of the manœuvres." Those present bowed their heads. "It is my duty to use this power first of all in meting out justice." The officers looked at one another. "Eunana," said the minister, "I know that thou hast always been one of the most diligent officers." "Truth speaks through thy lips, worthy lord," replied Eunana. "As a palm waits for dew, so do I for the commands of superiors. And when I do not receive them, 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 Rameses."