elbow; another put her arms around his neck, another took the
hand that held the vessel of bronze. The pitcher sank down to the
depths of the spring. The hands of the nymphs clasped Hylas
tighter, tighter; the water bubbled around him as they drew him
down. Down, down they drew him,and into the cold and glimmering
cave where they live.

There Hylas stayed. But although the nymphs kissed him and sang
to him, and showed him lovely things, Hylas was not content to be
there.

Where the Argonauts were the fires burned, the moon arose, and
still Hylas did not return. Then they began to fear lest a wild
beast had destroyed the boy. One went to Heracles and told him
that young Hylas had not come back, and that they were fearful
for him. Heracles flung down the pine tree that he was fashioning
into an oar, and he dashed along the way that Hylas had gone as
if a gadfly were stinging him. "Hylas, Hylas," he cried. But
Hylas, in the cold and glimmering cave that the nymphs had drawn
him into, did not hear the call of his friend Heracles.

All the Argonauts went searching, calling as they went through
the island, "Hylas, Hylas, Hylas!" But only their own calls came
back to them. The morning star came up, and Tiphys, the
steersman, called to them from the Argo. And when they came to
the ship Tiphys told them that they would have to go aboard and
make ready to sail from that place.

They called to Heracles, and Heracles at last came down to the
ship. They spoke to him, saying that they would have to sail