Tutmosis, noting the turn which the conversation had taken, asked
Nitager,
"Whence hast Thou come, that thy main forces are in front of our army?"
"I knew how incompetently the division was marching from Memphis, when the heir was concentrating his regiments near Pi-Bailos, and for sport I wished to capture you young lords. To my misfortune the heir was here and spoiled my plans. Act that way always, Ramses, of course in presence of real enemies."
"But if, as today, he meets a force three times superior?" inquired
Herhor.
"Daring keenness means more than strength," replied the old leader. "An elephant is fifty times stronger than a man; still he yields to him, or dies at his hands."
Herhor listened in silence.
The maneuvers were declared finished. Prince Ramses with the minister and commanders went to the army near Pi-Bailos. There he greeted Nitager's veterans, took farewell of his own regiments, commanded them to march eastward, and wished success to them.
Then, surrounded by a great suite, he returned by the highway to Memphis amid crowds from the land of Goshen, who with green garlands and in holiday robes congratulated the conqueror.
When the highway turned toward the desert, the crowd became thinner, and when they approached the place where the staff of the heir had entered the ravine because of the scarabs, there was no one.
Ramses nodded to Tutmosis, and pointing to the naked hill, whispered,