“Here!” cried Quicksilver, at last—­for he knew well enough, rogue that he was, how hard Perseus found it to keep pace with him—­“take you the staff, for you need it a great deal more than I. Are there no better walkers than yourself in the island of Seriphus?”

“I could walk pretty well,” said Perseus, glancing slyly at his companion’s feet, “if I had only a pair of winged shoes.”

“We must see about getting you a pair,” answered Quicksilver.

But the staff helped Perseus along so bravely, that he no longer felt the slightest weariness.  In fact, the stick seemed to be alive in his hand, and to lend some of its life to Perseus.  He and Quicksilver now walked onward at their ease, talking very sociably together; and Quicksilver told so many pleasant stories about his former adventures, and how well his wits had served him on various occasions, that Perseus began to think him a very wonderful person.  He evidently knew the world; and nobody is so charming to a young man as a friend who has that kind of knowledge.  Perseus listened the more eagerly, in the hope of brightening his own wits by what he heard.

At last, he happened to recollect that Quicksilver had spoken of a sister, who was to lend her assistance in the adventure which they were now bound upon.

“Where is she?” he inquired.  “Shall we not meet her soon?”

“All at the proper time,” said his companion.  “But this sister of mine, you must understand, is quite a different sort of character from myself.  She is very grave and prudent, seldom smiles, never laughs, and makes it a rule not to utter a word unless she has something particularly profound to say.  Neither will she listen to any but the wisest conversation.”

“Dear me!” ejaculated Perseus; “I shall be afraid to say a syllable.”

“She is a very accomplished person, I assure you,” continued Quicksilver, “and has all the arts and sciences at her fingers’ ends.  In short, she is so immoderately wise, that many people call her wisdom personified.  But, to tell you the truth, she has hardly vivacity enough for my taste; and I think you would scarcely find her so pleasant a travelling companion as myself.  She has her good points, nevertheless; and you will find the benefit of them, in your encounter with the Gorgons.”

By this time it had grown quite dusk.  They were now come to a very wild and desert place, overgrown with shaggy bushes, and so silent and solitary that nobody seemed ever to have dwelt or journeyed there.  All was waste and desolate, in the gray twilight, which grew every moment more obscure.  Perseus looked about him, rather disconsolately, and asked Quicksilver whether they had a great deal farther to go.

“Hist! hist!” whispered his companion.  “Make no noise!  This is just the time and place to meet the Three Gray Women.  Be careful that they do not see you before you see them; for, though they have but a single eye among the three, it is as sharp sighted as half a dozen common eyes.”