Either take me on your back, or with my poor
old limbs I shall try my best to struggle across
the stream."

Saying this, the old woman poked with her
staff in the river, as if to find the safest place in
its rocky bed where she might make the first step.
But Jason, by this time, had grown ashamed of
his reluctance to help her. He felt that he could
never forgive himself, if this poor feeble creature
should come to any harm in attempting to
wrestle against the headlong current. The good
Chiron, whether half horse or no, had taught him
that the noblest use of his strength was to assist
the weak; and also that he must treat every
young woman as if she were his sister, and
every old one like a mother. Remembering
these maxims, the vigorous and beautiful young
man knelt down, and requested the good dame
to mount upon his back.

"The passage seems to me not very safe," he
remarked. "But as your business is so urgent,
I will try to carry you across. If the river
sweeps you away, it shall take me too."

"That, no doubt, will be a great comfort to
both of us," quoth the old woman. "But never
fear. We ciioil get safely across."

[[279]]

p278 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p279w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p280

v?