The Libyans did not even look behind, and waded on through the sand with great effort. After a while one might suppose that they would be overtaken. Soon again, however, the prince's party struck on deep sand while the Libyans hastening forward vanished beyond an elevation. The Asiatics cursed, the prince gritted his teeth. At last the horses began to stumble more and to be weary, so the riders had to dismount and go on foot. All at once an Asiatic grew purple, and fell on the sand. The prince commanded to cover him with a mantle, and said,-- "We will take him on the way back." After great toil they reached the top of the sand height, and saw the Libyans. For them too the road had been murderous, two of their horses had stopped. The camp of the Egyptian army was hidden completely behind the rolling land, and if Pentuer and the Asiatics had not known how to guide themselves by the sun they could not have gone back to the camping-place. In the prince's party another man fell, and threw bloody foam from his mouth. He was left, with his horse. To finish their trouble, on the outline of the sands stood a group of cliffs; among these the Libyans vanished. "Lord," said Pentuer, "that may be an ambush." "Let it be death, and let it take me!" replied the heir, in a changed voice. The priest gazed at him with wonder; he had not supposed such resolve in Rameses. The cliffs were not distant, but the road was laborious beyond description. They had not only to walk themselves, but to drag their horses out of the soft sand. They waded, sinking below their ankles; they sank to their knees even in some places. Meanwhile the sun was flaming above them,--that dreadful sun of the desert,--every ray of which not only baked and blinded, but pricked also. The men dropped from weariness: in one, tongue and lips were swollen; another had a roaring in his head, and saw black patches before his eyes; drowsiness seized a third,--all felt pain in their joints, and lost the sensation of heat. Had any one asked if it were hot, they would not have answered. The ground grew firm under their feet again, and the party passed in between the cliffs. The prince, who had more presence of mind than those who were with him, heard the snorting of horses; he turned to one side, and in the shade cast by the cliff saw a crowd of people lying as each man had dropped. Those were the Libyans. One of them, a youth of twenty years, wore an embroidered purple shirt, a gold chain was around his neck, and he carried a sword richly mounted. He seemed unconscious; the eyes were turned in his head, and there was foam on his lips. In him Rameses recognized the chief. He approached him, drew the chain from his neck, and unfastened his sword. Some old Libyan who seemed less wearied than others, seeing this, called out,-- "Though thou art victor, Egyptian, respect the prince's son, who is chief." "Is he the son of Musawasa?" asked Rameses.