surely these creatures
will devour us."

But Asti only threw more wood upon the fire and waited, thinking that
the flame would frighten them away. Yet it did not, for so curious, or
so hungry were they, that the lions crept and crept nearer, and still
more near, till at length they lay lashing their tails in the distance
almost within springing distance of the rock, while on the farther side
of these, like a court waiting on its monarch, gathered the hyenas and
other beasts.

"They will spring presently," whispered Tua.

"Did the Spirits of the divine Pharaoh your father, and of Mermes my
lord, bring us here in the Boat of Ra that we should be devoured by wild
animals, like lost sheep in the desert?" asked Asti. Then, as though by
an inspiration, she added, "Lady, take that harp of yours, and play and
sing to it."

So Tua took the harp and swept its golden chords, and, lifting up her
lovely voice, she began to sing. At first it trembled a little, but by
degrees, as she forgot all save the music, it grew strong, and rang out
sweetly in the silence of the forest, and the great, slow-moving river.
And lo! as she sang thus, the wild brutes grew still, and seemed to
listen as though they were charmed. Yes, even a snake wriggled out from
between the rocks and listened, waving its crested head to and fro.

At length Tua ceased, and as the echoes died away the brutes, every one
of them, turned and vanished into the forest or the river, all save the
snake that coiled itself up and slept where it was. So stillness came
again, and Tua and Asti slept also, nor did they wake until the sun was
shining in the heavens.

Then they arose wondering, and went down over the patch of sand that was
marked with the footprints of all the beasts to the river's brink, and
drank and washed themselves, peering the while through the mists, for
they thought that perchance they would see that golden ship with the
veiled crew which had carried them from Memphis, returned and awaiting
them in midstream.

But no ship was there; nothing was there except the river-horses which
rose and sank, and the crocodiles on the mud-banks, and the wildfowl
that flighted inward from the sea to feed. So they went back to the
ashes of their fire and ate of the food in Asti's basket, and, when they
had eaten, looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Then Tua said:

"Come, Nurse, let us be going. Up the river and down the river we cannot
walk, for there are