word iii their favor, the prisoners were now led
away, and clapped into a dungeon, where tho
jailer advised them to go to sleep as soon as
possible, because the Minotaur was in the habit
of calling for breakfast early. The seven maid-
ens and six of the young men soon sobbed
themselves to slumber. But Theseus was not
like them. He felt conscious that he was wiser,
and braver, and stronger than his companions,
and that therefore he had the responsibility of
all their lives upon him, and must consider
whether there was no way to save them, even in
this last extremity. So he kept himself awake,
and paced to and fro across the gloomy dungeon
in which they were shut up.

Just before midnight, the door was softly un-
barred, and the gentle Ariadne showed herself,
with a torch in her hand.

"Are you awake, Prince Theseus?" she
whispered.

"Yes," answered Theseus. "With so little
time to live, I do not choose to waste any of it
in sleep."

"Then follow me," said Ariadne, "and tread
softly."

[[55]]

p054 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p055w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p056

v?