"It does feel homelike here," Chebron said, looking round, "especially
after sleeping in the open air on the hard ground, as we have been
doing for the last month."

"I should hardly have known you, Amuba," Mysa said. "You do look so
different in your wig, and with your skin darkened."

"I must look horrible," Amuba replied rather ruefully.

"You don't look so nice," Mysa replied frankly. "I used at first to
think that short, wavy golden hair of yours was strange, and that you
would look better in a wig like other people; but now I am sorry it is
gone."

"Here is our meal," Jethro said as the hangings that served as a door
were drawn aside, and one of the men entered bearing a dish of fried
fish and another of stewed ducks, which he placed on the floor.

Jethro produced some cups and a jar of wine from a locker in the
cabin, and then the men, by his orders, brought in a jar of water for
the use of the girls. Then sitting round the dishes they began their
meal, Jethro cutting up the food with his dagger, and all helping
themselves with the aid of their fingers and pieces of bread, that
served them for the purpose of forks. Mysa had been accustomed always
to the use of a table; but these were only used in the abodes of the
rich, and the people in general sat on the ground to their meals.

"We have not begun our hardships yet," Mysa said, smiling. "I should
not mind how long this went on. I call this much better than living in
a house; don't you, Ruth?"

"It is more natural to me than that great house of yours," Ruth
replied; "and of course to me it is far more homelike and comfortable.
For I do not think I was a favorite among the other servants; they
were jealous of the kindness you showed me."

"There is one thing I wanted to say," Jethro said. "It is better that
we should not call each other by our names, I am sure that the boatmen
have no suspicion here that we are other than what we seem to be; but
they can hardly help hearing our names, for all Egypt has rung with
them for the last month, and it would be well if we change them for
the present. You must of necessity call me father, since that is the
relation I am supposed to bear to you. Amuba can become Amnis and
Chebron Chefu."

"And I will be Mytis," Mysa said. "What name will you take, Ruth?
There is no Egyptian name quite like yours."

"It matters not what you call me," Ruth said.

"We will call you Nite," Mysa said. "I had a great friend of that