A servant laid a garland of flowers round his shoulders, and another
handed him wine and food. Then he raised his eyes, and met the bright
and sparkling glance of Gagabu; he looked quickly down again at the
table.

Then the Regent spoke to him, and turning to the other guests mentioned
that Paaker was on the point of starting next day for Syria, and resuming
his arduous labors as Mohar. It seemed to Paaker that the Regent was
excusing himself for having given him so high a place of honor.

Presently Ani raised his wine-cup, and drank to the happy issue of his
reconnoitring-expedition, and a victorious conclusion to every struggle
in which the Mohar might engage. The high-priest then pledged him, and
thanked him emphatically in the name of the brethren of the temple, for
the noble tract of arable land which he had that morning given them as a
votive offering. A murmur of approbation ran round the tables, and
Paaker's timidity began to diminish.

He had kept the wrappings that his mother had applied round his still
aching hand.

"Are you wounded?" asked the Regent.

"Nothing of importance," answered the pioneer. "I was helping my mother
into the boat, and it happened--"

"It happened," interrupted an old school-fellow of the Mohar's, who
himself held a high appointment as officer of the city-watch of Thebes--
"It happened that an oar or a stake fell on his fingers."