"A council of the tribes has been summoned, to meet at El-Kerak, but each sheikh is only to take two men with him, because of the risk of fighting among themselves.

Anazeh says there can be no proper council without his being present, and that he will attend the council; but as for taking only two men, he has pledged his word to escort you with twenty men to El- Kerak.

He swears that he will carry out that pledge, even should he have to fight the whole way there and back again!" Anazeh suddenly cut short the war of words.

His gesture suggested that of Joshua who made the sun stand still.

He tossed a curt order to one of his men, who went off at a run toward a village, whose morning smoke rose blue over a spur of the range a mile away.