Hanno, Chamai, and their sweethearts went with me to dinner at Ziba's house; Bichri and Dionysos wandered about the streets and gardens of the city; while Hannibal, who said that now that we had come to a civilised country he should wish his trumpeter to be a credit to his troop, carried off Jonah to buy him a proper tunic.
We had given up two days to recreation when, returning to the Ashtoreth, I met Himilco and Gisgo, both extremely excited, in company with a Phœnician sailor who was a stranger to me.
"Good news, captain!" shouted Himilco, as soon as he was within hearing; "good news! tidings of Bodmilcar!"
"Tell me, quick!" I answered impatiently.
"Well, you must know," said Himilco, who was anything but steady upon his legs, "we met this good man; he was thirsty and we were thirsty, and I treated him to a cup at a tavern, where he told us that he had escaped from Bodmilcar's ship."
"Leave your plagued thirst," I said; "go on, tell me what you know."
"Leave my thirst? no, no; it's my thirst will not leave me."
"Curse you!" I said, half-frantic with irritation; "tell me at once!"
"Give me time and I will tell you all that he told us in the tavern."
"Where's Bodmilcar? you drunken fool!" I roared, stamping with rage; and turning in despair to the sailor, said: "Tell me, my good man, where have you come from?"