"O! you mean that you like Suomi fish-oil better than Helbon wine? and you prefer the chilly fogs of the marshes to the olive-yards of Dan? and you like slices of reindeer more than wheat and honey cakes?"
A tear stood trembling in the giant's eye.
"I think," he said, "I would rather go with you."
"And surely," added Hanno, "you would wish to go back to Eltekeh; you must want to tell them all about the leviathans, and the behemoths, and Nergal's kitchen, and how you have been a god yourself."
"They wouldn't believe me!"
"And think," said Bichri, "we shall have old Gebal with us to show the men of Dan!"
This last appeal was too much for Jonah, and fairly bursting out into tears, he sobbed out:
"Yes, I must go; I must go with you and Gebal."
Hannibal laughed outright at what he called Jonah's calf's tears, but declared that he was really very pleased to have his trumpeter back again, and pulling out two silver shekels from his purse, which he had contrived to retain, he said:
"There, man, take these; they will pay somebody to give you a good wash when you get on board."