"I am the chief of police in Pi-Bast, and, with my centurions, am pursuing a great criminal," answered one of them.
"We are overseers of the labyrinth and are following the same person."
The groups looked at each other with hands on their swords or knives.
"What will ye do with him?" asked the chief of police.
"We have a sentence against the man."
"But will ye leave the body?"
"With all that is on it," replied the elder overseer.
The police whispered among themselves.
"If ye tell the truth," said the chief at last, "we shall not hinder you. On the contrary, we will lend him to you for a while, as he will fall into our hands later."
"Do ye swear?"