5I

5I

"And now these len and the horses they ride are well protected from your darts,' replied Gabriel. "Can your archers hit the open face of a foe at full gallop?"

When Jemuel could not answer, an arrow flew from the quiver of Zethan to Remiel's hand. He said, "God did not send the B'nei Elohim merely to serve meals. There is no cause for despair, but tell me, how many bows are found among the whole Remnant?"

This Jemuel could answer. "There would be found among the men who followed Lael four bows of good make, and two others." When he saw astonishment on the faces of Gabriel and Remiel he went on to say, "Mark you, there are only four among us who are skilled in the bow."

"This will not be an unsurmountable burden," said Remiel, yet his face said otherwise. "The important thing is to get your darts in the air and flying toward the enemy, and I will take it from there. Give the two bows that are less good, therefore, to men of you who bear only swords."

"Alas!" said Zethon, one of the archers of the Remnant, with his hand against his face. "Our travail is not with the bows, but the arrows. We had cast some of our fallen enemies over a precipice, whether living or dead, without removing the shots we had fired from their flesh."

"Do not be afraid," said Gabriel. "Bring to me every arrow possessed by the men of the Remnant." Then Gabriel reached into hez little leather bag, with a different hand this time, and withdrew another small loaf of bread, as warm as the others had been, for Tobiah to eat. What che planned to do next would be deemed magic by the men of Haaretz, but Gabriel knew the secret of it. Che knew it was entirely natural, as all things must needs be. The bag was only to conceal the way hez hand seemed to disappear, which could disturb some watchers.

Jabez returned to Gabriel with a bundle of arrows. "We have sixteen darts, no more. Some are good, but some are hardly fit to be used. Our hope when we reached this forest was to make more, but now you say there is no time."

Gabriel received the arrows to inspect them. Remiel looked over hez shoulder to help examine them. "Get rid of the ones with black feathers Cousin Gabe. I can't do much with those."

Gabriel replied, "I don't like this pair either, Cousin Remy," and with Remiel's agreement they were also rejected.