This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D.W.]
By Georg Ebers
Once or twice Pentaur and his companions had had to defend themselvesagainst hostile mountaineers, who rushed suddenly upon them out of thewoods. When they were about two days' journey still from the end oftheir march, they had a bloody skirmish with a roving band of men thatseemed to belong to a larger detachment of troops.
The nearer they got to Kadesh, the more familiar Kaschta showed himselfwith every stock and stone, and he went forward to obtain information; hereturned somewhat anxious, for he had perceived the main body of theCheta army on the road which they must cross. How came the enemy here inthe rear of the Egyptian army? Could Rameses have sustained a defeat?
Only the day before they had met some Egyptian soldiers, who had toldthem that the king was staying in the camp, and a great battle wasimpending. This however could not have by this time been decided, andthey had met no flying Egyptians.
"If we can only get two miles farther without having to fight," saidUarda's father. "I know what to do. Down below, there is a ravine, andfrom it a path leads over hill and vale to the plain of Kadesh. No oneever knew it but the Mohar and his most confidential servants. Abouthalf-way there is a hidden cave, in which we have often stayed the wholeday long. The Cheta used to believe that the Mohar possessed magicpowers, and could make himself invisible, for when they lay in wait forus on the way we used suddenly to vanish; but certainly not into theclouds, only into the cave, which the Mohar used to call his Tuat. Ifyou are not afraid of a climb, and will lead your horse behind you for amile or two, I can show you the way, and to-morrow evening we will be atthe camp."
Pentaur let his guide lead the way; they came, without having occasion tofight, as far as the gorge between the hills, through which a full andfoaming mountain torrent rushed to the valley. Kaschta dropped from hishorse, and the others did the same. After the horses had passed throughthe water, he carefully effaced their tracks as far as the road, then forabout half a mile he ascended the valley against the stream. At last hestopped in front of a thick oleander-bush, looked carefully about, andlightly pushed it aside; when he had found an entrance, his companionsand their weary scrambling beasts followed him without difficulty, andthey presently found themselves in a grove of lofty cedars. Now they hadto squeeze themselves between masses of rock, now they labored up anddown over smooth pebbles, which offered scarcely any footing to thehorses' hoofs; now they had to push their way through thick brushwood,and now to cross little brooks swelled by the winter-rains.
The road became more difficult at every step, then it began to grow dark,and heavy drops of rain fell from the clouded sky.
"Make haste, and keep close to me," cried Kaschta. "Half an hour more,and we shall be under shelter, if I do not lose my way."
Then a horse broke down, and with great difficulty was got up again; therain fell with increased violence, the night grew darker, and the soldieroften found himself brought to a stand-still, feeling for the path withhis hands; twice he thought he had lost it, but he would not give in tillhe ha