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"I know all about it," interrupted Bartja laughing: "You've only seen the flower-girls by daylight as yet, and you would like to know how they look by lamplight." "Yes, that's it," said Zopyrus, putting on a grave face. "On that point I am quite as eager after knowledge as Darius." "Well, we wish you much pleasure with your three sisters."

The handsomest of the three travellers, in whom of course our readers recognize their three young friends, Darius, Bartja and Zopyrus, spoke to one of the harbor police and asked for the house of Theopompus the Milesian, to whom they were bound on a visit.

"To-morrow, if you like," was the answer. "The doctors say the sea- voyage will do me good, and the journey by land to Smyrna is very short." "And I can assure you," added Zopyrus, "that Sappho will cure you sooner than all the doctors in the world." "Then we will start in three days;" said Darius after some consideration, "we have plenty to do before starting.

The party, however, did not succeed in crossing the market-place without hindrance. They found it easy enough to evade the importunities of impudent fishsellers, and the friendly invitations of butchers, bakers, sausage and vegetable-sellers, and potters. But when they reached the part allotted to the flower-girls, Zopyrus was so enchanted with the scene, that he clapped his hands for joy.

The prisoner seemed highly indignant, and the less his broken Greek oaths and his utterances in some other totally unintelligible language were understood by the Egyptian guards, the more violent he became. Directly Bartja and Darius heard the voice they ran up, and recognized Zopyrus at once. Syloson and Theopompus stopped the guards, and asked what their captive had done.

"Let us be merry," said Zopyrus, "for I believe it will soon be up with all our merriment. I would lay my life, that we are all of us dead by to-morrow. Pity that men haven't got more than one neck; if we'd two, I would not mind wagering a gold piece or two on the chance of our remaining alive."

"He has murdered an Egyptian," were his last words, "and must therefore be tried by an Egyptian supreme court. In any other case I should be delighted to render you any service in my power." During this conversation Zopyrus had been begging his friends not to take any trouble about him.

Come to us and pass the wine-cup. By Mithras, I can truly say I never wished for death, but now I quite look forward to the black Azis, because he is going to take us all together. Zopyrus would rather die with his friends, than live without them." "But the great point is to try and explain what has really happened," said Darius.

If they answer no, it is a sign that they do not love us, and whoever does not love us, must be our enemy." "That won't do," cried Zopyrus. "We must have war at any price." "I vote for Croesus," said Gobryas. "And I too," said the noble Artabazus. "We are for Hystaspes," shouted the warrior Araspes, the old Intaphernes, and some more of Cyrus's old companions-in-arms.

Bartja and Sappho stood leaning on each other by the low wall which ran round Rhodopis' garden, exchanging tender words and watching the scene below, till at last Bartja's quick eye caught sight of a boat making straight for the house and coming on fast by the help of the breeze and powerful rowers. A few minutes later the boat put in to shore and Zopyrus with his deliverers stood before them.