en seen, for many eyes
were watching me, Master. Then I took another counsel. While I pretended
to be putting out the eyes of Houman, I bent down and getting the chain
between my teeth I bit it through. One tooth broke--see, but the next
finished the business. I ate through the soft gold, Master, and then
sucked up the chain and the round white seal into my mouth, and that
is why I could not answer you just now, because my cheeks were full of
chain. So we have the King's seal that all the subject countries know
and obey. It may be useful, yonder in Egypt, and at least the gold is of
value."

"Clever!" I exclaimed, "very clever. But you have forgotten something,
Bes. When that knave escapes, he will tell the whole story and the King
will send after us and kill us who have stolen his royal seal."

"I don't think so, Master. First, it is not likely that Houman will
escape. He is very fat and soft and already suffers much. After a day in
the sun also he will be weak. Moreover I do not think that he can swim,
for eunuchs hate the water. So if he gets out of the boat it is probable
that he will drown in the river, since he dare not wade to the quay
where the guards will be waiting. But if he does escape by swimming
across the river, he will hide for his life's sake and never be seen
again, and if by chance he is caught, he will say that the seal fell
into the water when he was taken to the boat, or that one of the guards
had stolen it. What he will not say is that he had bargained it away
with someone who in return, cut his cords, since for that crime he must
die by worse tortures than those of the boat. Lastly we shall ride so
fast that with six hours' start none will catch us. Or if they do I can
throw away the chain and swallow the seal."

As Bes said, so it happened. The fate of Houman I never learned, and of
the theft of the seal I heard no more until a proclamation was issued to
all the kingdoms that a new one was in use. But this was not until long
afterwards when it had served my turn and that of Egypt.

CHAPTER VIII. THE LADY AMADA

Now day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute every detail of that
journey appeared before me, but to set it all down is needless. As I,
Allan Quatermain, write the record of my vision, still I seem to hear
the thunder of our horses' hoofs while we rushed forward at full gallop
over the plains, over the mountain passes and by the banks of rivers.
The speed at which we trave