s?"

"I could walk pretty well," said Perseus, glancing slyly at his
companion's feet, "if I had only a pair of winged shoes."

"We must see about getting you a pair," answered Quicksilver.

But the staff helped Perseus along so bravely that he no longer felt the
slightest weariness. In fact, the stick seemed to be alive in his hand
and to lend some of its life to Perseus. He and Quicksilver now walked
onward at their ease, talking very sociably together; and Quicksilver
told so many pleasant stories about his former adventures and how well
his wits had served him on various occasions that Perseus began to think
him a very wonderful person. He evidently knew the world; and nobody is
so charming to a young man as a friend who has that kind of knowledge.
Perseus listened the more eagerly, in the hope of brightening his own
wits by what he heard.

At last, he happened to recollect that Quicksilver had spoken of a
sister who was to lend her assistance in the adventure which they were
now bound upon.

"Where is she?" he inquired. "Shall we not meet her soon?"

"All at the proper time," said his companion. "But this sister of mine,
you must understand, is quite a different sort of character from myself.
She is very grave and prudent, seldom smiles, never laughs and makes it
a rule not to utter a word unless she has something particularly
profound to say. Neither will she listen to any but the wisest
conversation."

"Dear me!" ejaculated Perseus; "I shall be afraid to say a syllable."

"She is a very accomplished person, I assure you," continued
Quicksilver, "and has all the arts and science at her fingers' ends. In
short, she is so immoderately wise that many people call her wisdom
personified. But to tell you the truth, she has hardly vivacity enough
for my taste; and I think you would scarcely find her so pleasant a
traveling companion as myself. She has her good points, nevertheless;
and you will find the benefit of them in your encounter with the
Gorgons."

By this time it had grown quite dusk. They were now come to a very wild
and desert place, overgrown with shaggy bushes and so silent and
solitary that nobody seemed ever to have dwelt or journeyed there. All
was waste and desolate in the gray twilight, which grew every moment
more obscure. Perseus looked about him rather disconsolately and asked
Quicksilver whether they had a great deal farther to go.

"Hist! hist!" whispered his companion. "Make no noise!