“Yes, Prince, I and another of my company saw him. While the rest of us, pretending to retreat, drew off the Shepherd horsemen, we two won our way to the camp which is on a plain surrounded by hills, not to be reached except through two passes, one to the west and one to the east. There we found the garrison, well though weary, for of food they have enough, also the priest and the other traveller who is hurt. These told us how they came to the place and of the death of their four guides, which is a great story.”
“Then repeat it afterwards,” said Tau. “It seems that you escaped. Why did you not bring these travellers with you?”
“Prince, how could the two of us carry a man who cannot walk, down a mountain path, even with the help of the priest? Moreover, if we could have brought him to the plain, it was full of enemies all mounted on good horses through whom it would scarcely have been possible to bear him safely, while the garrison had received no orders to attempt to leave its post. Therefore it was determined that he should remain where he is safe enough, until a sufficient force could be sent to bring him away.”
Then the captain went on to tell how he and his companion had rejoined their men at night and fought their way through the horsemen of Apepi who watched the stronghold, though with loss; how also they had learned from some desert wanderers that the army of the Great King was marching upon Egypt by a road that ran not more than thirty leagues from where they were, and how therefore they had ridden for the army, instead of returning to report at Babylon.
“You have done wisely,” said Tau. “Had you attempted to bring that wounded lord with you, doubtless he would have been killed or captured.”
Then he went away to give certain orders, leaving the officer with Nefra, who had many questions to put to him.
When Tau returned an hour later Nefra was still questioning him. Tau looked at them and asked:
“Friend, how long is it since you slept?”
“Four nights, Prince,” answered the officer.
“And how long is it since you and your companions ate?”