The face of the King grew red with rage.

“Seven of my people and one black dwarf!” he exclaimed.  “Yet the lioness kills my cousin and the dwarf kills the lioness.  Such is the tale that will go to Egypt concerning the hunters of the King of the world.  Seize those men, Guards, and let them be fed to the wild beasts in the palace dens.”

At once the unfortunates were seized and led away.  Then the King called Bes to him, and taking the gold chain he wore about his neck, threw it over his head, thereby, though I knew nothing of it at the time, conferring upon him some noble rank.  Next he called to me and said,

“It would seem that you are skilled in the use of the bow and in the hunting of lions, Egyptian.  Therefore I will honour you, for this afternoon your chariot shall drive with my chariot, and we will hunt side by side.  Moreover, I will lay you a wager as to which of us will kill the most lions, for know, Shabaka, that I also am skilled in the use of the bow, more skilled than any among the millions of my subjects.”

“Then, O King, it is of little use for me to match myself against you, seeing that I have met men who can shoot better than I do, or, since in the East all must speak nothing but the truth, not being liars as the dead prince said we Egyptians are, one man.”

“Who was that man, Shabaka?”

“The Prince Peroa, O King.”

The King frowned as though the name displeased him, then answered,

“Am I not greater than this Peroa and cannot I therefore shoot better?”

“Doubtless, O King of kings, and therefore how can I who shoot worse than Peroa, match myself against you?”

“For which reason I will give you odds, Shabaka.  Behold this rope of rose-hued pearls I wear.  They are unequalled in the whole world, for twenty years the merchants sought them in the days of my father; half of them would buy a satrapy.  I wager them”—­here the listening nobles gasped and the fat eunuch, Houman, held up his hands in horror.

“Against what, O King?”

“Your slave Bes, to whom I have taken a fancy.”

Now I trembled and Bes rolled his yellow eyes.

“Your pardon, O King of kings,” I said, “but it is not enough.  I am a hunter and to such, priceless pearls are of little use.  But to me that dwarf is of much use in my hunting.”

“So be it, Shabaka, then I will add to the wager.  If you win, together with the pearls I will give you the dwarf’s weight in solid gold.”

“The King is bountiful,” I answered, “but it is not enough, for even if I win against one who can shoot better than Peroa, which is impossible, what should I do with so much gold?  Surely for the sake of it I should be murdered or ever I saw the coasts of Egypt.”

“What shall I add then?” asked the King.  “The most beauteous maiden in the House of Women?”

I shook my head.  “Not so, O King, for then I must marry who would remain single.”