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s of infantry。 Taita stepped out of the defensive circle to greet him。
'Any injuries？' Nefer asked。 Even though the tips of the practice arrows they had shot into the hedgehog were padded with leather； they could still knock out an eye or inflict other damage。
'A few bruises。' Taita shrugged。
'They have done well；' Nefer said； then shouted to the centurion manding the infantry； 'Let your lads fall out。 I want to speak to them。 Afterwards they can eat and drink。 Then we will practise the false retreat again。'
There was an outcrop of rock that formed a natural podium； and Nefer climbed to the top of it while all the men； infantry and charioteers； gathered below him。
Taita squatted at the base of the rock and watched and listened。 Nefer reminded him strongly of Pharaoh Tamose； his father； at the same age。 He had the easy manner； and spoke simply but effectively in the colloquial language that his men understood best。 At times like these he became one of them； and the warmth and respect they felt for him was evident in the way they responded； grinning and crowding closer to catch every word； laughing at his jests； scowling with shame at his rebukes； and glowing at his pliments。
Nefer reviewed the morning's exercises； giving them the credit they deserved； but ruthlessly picking out every deficiency in their performance。
'I think you are almost ready to give Trok and Naja the surprise of their pretty lives；' he ended。 'Now； get something to eat。 We have not finished for the day…in fact we have barely begun。' They laughed and began to disperse。
Nefer jumped down from the rock； and as he did so Taita sprang to his feet and said quietly but urgently； 'Stop； Nefer！ Do not move！' Nefer froze where he stood。
The cobra must have had its nest in the rock pile； but the noise and the trampling of feet and hoofs had disturbed it。 It came slithering out of the crack in the dark rock just as Nefer jumped down and landed almost on top of it。 The serpent reared up behind him； almost as high as his waist。 Its hood was flared open； and its feathery black tongue flickered between the thin grinning lips。 Its eyes were beads of polished onyx； with sparks of light in the black centres； and they were fastened on Nefer's long bare legs within easy striking distance in front of it。
The nearest men had heard Taita's warning and they turned back。 Now almost five hundred men were gathered around Nefer； but none dared move。 They stared in horror at the mortal predicament of their pharaoh。
The cobra gaped wide； the preliminary to the attack； and the bony fangs came erect in the pale roof of its mouth。 Drops of venom sparkled on the needle points。
Taita swung the Periapt of Lostris on its long chain like a pendulum； and it twinkled in the sunlight。 He sent it swinging past the cobra's raised head。 Distracted； the serpent swivelled its eyes away from Nefer to stare at the glittering charm。 Taita had his staff in his other hand； and he edged closer。 'When I strike； jump clear；' he whispered； and Nefer nodded。 Taita moved gradually out to one side and the cobra turned with him； fascinated by the golden charm。
'Now！' said Taita； and thrust at the cobra with his staff。 At the same instant Nefer jumped clear； and the snake struck at the staff。 Taita jerked away； so the cobra missed and for an instant it was stretched out along the bare earth。 With a movement even faster than the strike； Taita pinned it behind the head with the curved end of the staff； and a shout of relief went up from the watchers。
The cobra writhed and coiled into a glittering scaly ball around the end of the staff。 Taita reached down and worked his hand through the heaving coils until he could grip the snake behind its head。 Then he lifted it up and showed it to the men； who gasped with fear and horror。 They shrank back instinctively as it coiled around Taita's long； thin arm。 They had expected him to kill it but； still carrying the writhing snake； Taita walked through their ranks； out into the open desert。
There he threw the serpent from him。 As it struck the ground it uncoiled and slithered away across the rocky earth。 Taita watched it； rapt。
Suddenly there was a shrill cry from the sky above。 They had all been so intent on the capture of the cobra that no one had seen the falcon hovering high in the blue above them。 Now it stooped towards the earth； dropping towards the cobra。 At the last moment the snake became aware of the danger and reared up again； its hood spread wide。 In full flight the falcon sank its talons into the flared hood； an inch behind the head； then rose on heavily flogging wings； carrying the cobra dangling and twisting below it。
Taita watched the bird as it bore away the snake。 It dwindled in size in the distance and at last disappeared into the blue…grey heat…haze that shrouded the horizon。 Taita stood a long time staring after it。 When he turned and walked back to where Nefer stood his expression was grave； and he was silent for the rest of that day。 In the evening he rode back to Gallala in the chariot beside Nefer； still silent。
'It was an omen；' Nefer said； and glanced at him。 He saw by Taita's face that this was so。 'I have listened to the men；' Nefer went on quietly。 'They are disturbed。 None of them has ever seen the like before。 The cobra is not the natural prey of the royal falcon。'
'Yes；' said Taita。 'It was an omen； a warning and a promise from the god。'
'What does it mean？' Nefer studied his face。
'The cobra threatened you。 That means great danger。 The royal bird flew towards the east with the snake in its talons。 It means great danger in the east。 But in the end the falcon triumphed。'
They both looked towards the east。 'We will take out a scouting expedition tomorrow at the first light of dawn；' Nefer decided。
* * *
In the chill darkness before the dawn Nefer and Taita waited on the mountain…top。 The rest of the scouting party were encamped on the back slope。 All told they were twenty men。 For the sake of stealth they had left the chariots in Gallala and they travelled on horseback。 Wheels threw more dust than hoofs alone； and hoofs made accessible these high； precipitous places along the coast where wheels could not travel。
Hilto and Shabako had taken other scouting parties to cover the terrain to the south； between them they could sweep all the eastern approaches to Gallala。
Nefer had brought his party from the Gebel Ataqa down along the western shores of the Red Sea； looking in on every port and fishing village along the way。 Apart from a few trading caravans and wandering bands of Bedouin they had found nothing； no sign of the danger foreshadowed by the omen。 Now they were camped above the port of Safaga。
Taita and Nefer had woken in the darkness and left the camp to climb to the look…out peak。 They sat close together in panionable silence。 Nefer spoke at last。
'Could it have been a false omen？'
Taita grunted and spat。 'A falcon with a cobra in his talons？ It is not in nature。 It was an omen； without doubt； but false perhaps。 Ishtar the Mede and others are capable of setting such snares。 It is possible。'
'But you do not think it is？' Nefer insisted。 'You would not have driven us so hard if you believed it to be false。'
'The dawn es on apace。' Taita avoided the question； and looked instead to the darkling eastern sky； where the morning star hung； like a lantern； low on the horizon。 The sky softened like a ripening fruit； turning the colour of persimmon and ripe pomegranate。 The mountains of the far shore were black and sharp and ragged as the fangs of an ancient crocodile against the lightening backdrop of the heavens。
Taita stood up suddenly and leaned on his staff。 Nefer never failed to be amazed by the acuity of those pale old eyes。 He knew Taita had seen something。 Nefer stood up beside him。
'What is it； Old Father？'
Taita laid a hand on his arm。 The omen was not false；' he said simply。 The danger is here。'
The sea was turning the grey of a dove's belly； but as the light strengthened the surface was speckled with white。
'The wind has whipped the sea into white horses；' Nefer said。
'No。' Taita shook his head。 'Those are not breakers。 They're sails。 A fleet under sail。'
The sun pushed its upper rim above the tops of the far mountains； and sparkled on the tiny triangles of white。 Like a vast flock of egrets returning to the roost； a fleet of dhows was heading into the port of Safaga。
'If this is the army of Trok and Naja； why would they e by sea？' Nefer asked quietly。
'It is the direct and shortest route from Mesopotamia。 The boat crossing will save the horses and the men from the hard road through the desert。 Without the warning of the snake and the falcon； we would not have expected danger from this direction；' Taita answered。 'It is a cunning move。' He nodded approval。 'It seems that they have mandeered every trading vessel and fishing boat in the entire Red Sea to make the crossing。'
They scrambled back down the mountain to the camp in the gorge below。 The troopers were awake and alert。 Nefer called in the sentries and gave them their orders。 Two would ride back with all speed to Gallala； carrying his orders to Socco； whom he had left in mand of the city。 Most of the other men he split into pairs and sent south to find the scouting parties under Hilto and Shabako and bring them in。 He kept five troopers with him。
Nefer and Taita watched the men he had despatched ride away； then they mounted and rode down through the hills towards Safaga； with the five men Nefer had selected following them。 They reached the high ground above the port in the middle of the morning。 Taita led them to an abandoned watchtower that overlooked the port and the approaches。 They left the horses in the care of the troopers and climbed the rickety ladder to the top platform of the tower。
The first boats are entering the bay。' Nefer pointed them out。 They were deeply laden but with the wind on the quarter they came in swiftly with the bow waves curling white as salt in the sunlight and the big lateen sails bulging。
They rounded up just off the beach and dropped the heavy coral anchors。 From the top of the tower Nefer and Taita had a fine view down on to the open decks； which were crowded with men and horses。 As soon as the dhows were anchored the men removed the wooden gunwales along the dhows' sides。 Their faint cries carried up to the ruined watchtower as they urged the horses to leap out。 They struck the water with tall splashes of spray。 Then the men stripped down to loincloths and jumped in after them。 They seized the horses' manes and swam alongside them to the beach。 The animals came ashore shaking the water from their bodies in a fine mist that turned to rainbows in the sunlight。
Within an hour the beach was swarming with men and horses； and defensive pickets had been set up around the mud…daub buildings of the little port。
'If only we had a squadron of chariots；' Nefer lamented； 'this would be the time to strike。 With only half their force ashore and their chariots broken down； we could cut them to pieces。' Taita made no reply to such wishful speculation。
By now the bay was filled with shipping。 The boats carrying the chariots and the baggage had anchored close in； and as the tide ran out from under them they took the ground and listed over。 Soon the water was only knee deep around their hulls。 The men from the beach waded out to begin unloading。 They carried the parts of the broken…down chariots ashore and reassembled them on the beach。
The sun was setting over the western mountains when the last dhow entered the bay。 This was the largest of them all； and at the peak of her stubby mast she flew the snarling leopard head gonfalon and the gaudy colours of the House of Trok Uruk。
'There he is。' Nefer pointed to the unmistakable figure in the bows。
'And that is