ere besieging the palace of Aegeus.

The Sphettus company had broken in the gate of the court, and were
trying to burn the house, while arrows flew thick from the bows of the
trusty men of Athens on the palace roof. The Pallantids had set no
sentinels, for they thought to take Theseus in the palace, and there to
burn him, and win the kingdom for themselves. Then silently and suddenly
the friends of Theseus stole into the courtyard, and, leaving some to
guard the gate, they drew up in line, and charged the confused crowd of
the Pallantids. Their spears flew thick among the enemy, and then they
charged with the sword, while the crowd, in terror, ran this way and
that way, being cut down at the gate, and dragged from the walls, when
they tried to climb them. The daylight found the Pallantidae and their
men lying dead in the courtyard, all the sort of them.

Then Theseus with the sons of Phytalus and their company marched through
the town, proclaiming that the rightful prince was come, and that the
robbers and oppressors were fallen, and all honest men rejoiced. They
burned the dead, and buried their ashes and bones, and for the rest of
that day they feasted in the hall of Aegeus. Next day Theseus led his
friends back to Aphidnae, and on the next day they attacked and stormed
the castle of Procrustes, and slew the pirates, and Theseus divided all
the rich plunder among the sons of Phytalus and their company, but the
evil bed they burned to ashes.

V

HERALDS COME FOR TRIBUTE

The days and weeks went by, and Theseus reigned with his father in
peace. The chief men came to Athens from the little towns in the
country, and begged Theseus to be their lord, and they would be his men,
and he would lead their people if any enemy came up against them. They
would even pay tribute to be used for buying better arms, and making
strong walls, and providing ships, for then the people of Athens had no
navy. Theseus received them courteously, and promised all that they
asked, for he did not know that soon he himself would be sent away as
part of the tribute which the Athenians paid every nine years to King
Minos of Crete.

Though everything seemed to be peaceful and happy through the winter,
yet Theseus felt that all was not well. When he went into the houses of
the town's people, where all had been merry and proud of his visits, he
saw melancholy, silent mothers, and he missed the young people, lads and
maidens. Many of them