The first part of the climb was uneventful. Kerberos plodded on heavily and sedately, Philos of course stopped to dig round the roots of nearly all the thyme and lentisk bushes on their way. Andromache, who considered him her special dog, would catch him by the neck and pull him off by main force, but in an instant he was back again, digging frantically, shaking his head, sneezing and beginning all over again.
After some time there was a rest under a clump of pines, and Nikias suggested opening the baskets. But when the others all told him he was “A greedy little pig!” he explained that he had only wanted to see if Athanasia had not forgotten the peaches which he had seen on the pantry shelf.
“And of course you would run back for them if she had!” said Iason derisively.
“Wait till we get to the top,” said Chryseis.
So they started off again.
“Where shall you look for the big cave?” asked Andromache, who was beginning to find her basket heavy and the sun hot. “Did Lambro say if it were high on the hills above Vayonia, or to the right near the vineyards?”
“Did you ever hear of a cave near vineyards, stupid?” answered Iason, whose basket was heavier still as it had the bottles of water in it. “Lambro said near the sea; so of course it will be to the left in the big rocks.”
“You do not know really,” persisted Andromache, “you only say ‘it will be.’ ”
“I never said I knew; I said ‘let us go and find it!’ ” Suddenly he pointed some way above them, “There is a shepherd! No, not there; on that little footpath where the hill is bare. Let us ask if he knows!”