"I shall see your ships quite soon enough for your liking," he said; "I shall not lose much time in making my official inspection of them. The Melkarth left here only three days since."
"The Melkarth!" I exclaimed in astonishment.
Seeing my amazement he began to jeer me. "An old stager like you! you surprise me very much by trusting yourself here so soon after Bodmilcar."
"Bodmilcar!" I repeated; "surely you must be unaware of how Bodmilcar has acted!"
"I am only aware of this," he said, his eye twinkling as he spoke; "you and your scribe must lay down your swords and be trotted off to the dungeons, and the rest of your people will very soon be trotted after you."
I stood dumb with bewilderment; but Hanno, with whom neither patience nor reticence were prevailing virtues, laid his hand upon the hilt of his sword, and said:—
"This sword was given me by Melek David, and whoever demands its surrender shall first know the feel of its point in his bosom."
White with passion, the old man started to his feet. In an instant a couple of guards had laid their hands upon the shoulders of my impetuous scribe.