Let the boat be scuttled," she said at last, "and sink with the chained
prisoners before it reaches Chennu."

"No-no; I thought of that myself, and Nemu too advised it," cried Ani.
"That has been done a hundred times, and Ameni will regard me as a
perjurer, for I have sworn not to attempt Pentaur's life."

"To be sure, thou hast sworn that, and men keep their word--to each
other. Wait a moment, how would this do? Let the ship reach Chennu with
the prisoners, but, by a secret order to the captain, pass the quarries
in the night, and hasten on as fast as possible as far as Ethiopia. From
Suan,--[The modern Assuan at the first cataract.]--the prisoners may be
conducted through the desert to the gold workings. Four weeks or even
eight may pass before it is known here what has happened. If Ameni
attacks thee about it, thou wilt be very angry at this oversight, and
canst swear by all the Gods of the heavens and of the abyss, that thou
hast not attempted Pentaur's life. More weeks will pass in enquiries.
Meanwhile do thy best, and Paaker do his, and thou art king. An oath is
easily broken by a sceptre, and if thou wilt positively keep thy word
leave Pentaur at the gold mines. None have yet returned from thence. My
father's and my brother's bones have bleached there."

"But Ameni will never believe in the mistake," cried Ani, anxiously
interrupting the witch.

"Then admit that thou gavest the order," exclaimed Hekt. "Explain that
thou hadst learned what they proposed doing with Pentaur at Chennu, and
that thy word indeed was kept, but that a criminal could not be left
unpunished. They will make further enquiries, and if Assa's grandson
is found still living thou wilt be justified. Follow my advice, if
thou wilt prove thyself a good steward of thy house, and master of its
inheritance."

"It will not do," said the Regent. "I need Ameni's support--not for
to-day and to-morrow only. I will not become his blind tool; but he must
believe that I am."

The old woman shrugged her shoulders, rose, went into her cave, and
brought out a phial.

"Take this," she said. "Four drops of it in his wine infallibly destroys
the drinker's senses; try the drink on a slave, and thou wilt see how
effectual it is."

"What shall I do with it?" asked Ani.

"Justify thyself to Ameni," said the witch laughing. "Order the ship's
captain to come to thee as soon as he returns; entertain him with
wine--and when Ameni sees the distracted wretch, why