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the last vestige of courage blown away on the gusts of hot wind that tugged at him； threatening to tear him from the cliff。 He looked down and tears mingled with the sweat on his cheeks。 The drop beckoned； pulled at him with claws of terror； sickening him to the guts。
'Move！' Taita's voice drifted down to him； faint but filled with urgency。 'You must keep moving。'
With a huge effort Nefer rallied himself for another effort。 His bare toes groped under him and he found a ledge that seemed wide enough to give him purchase。 He lowered himself on aching； juddering arms。 Abruptly his foot slipped from the ledge； and his arms were too tired to support his weight any longer。 He fell and screamed as he went。
He dropped only the span of his two arms； and then the rope bit cruelly into his flesh； binding up under his ribs and choking the breath out of him。 He came up short and dangled out into space； held only by the rope and the old man above him。
'Nefer； can you hear me？' Taita's voice was rough with the strain of holding him。 The boy whimpered like a puppy。 'You must catch a hold。 You cannot hang there。' Taita's voice calmed him。 He blinked the tears out of his eyes； and saw the rock only an arm's length from his face。
'Latch on！' Taita goaded him； and Nefer saw that he was hanging opposite the cleft。 The opening was deep enough to acmodate him； the sloping ledge wide enough for him to stand on； if only he could reach it。 He stretched out a shaking hand and touched the wall with his fingertips。 He started to swing himself back towards it。
It seemed an eternity of struggle and heartbreaking effort； but at last he swung into the opening and managed to place both bare feet on the ledge； and to crouch doubled over in the opening。 He wedged himself there； panting and gasping for air。
Above him Taita felt his weight go off the rope； and called down encouragement。 'Bak…her； Nefer； Bak…her！ Where are you？'
'I am in the cleft； above the nest。'
'What can you see？' Taita wanted to keep the boy's mind fixed on other things； so that he would not dwell on the void beneath his feet。
Nefer wiped the sweat from his eyes with the back of his hand and peered down。 'I can see the edge of the nest。'
'How far？'
'Close。'
'Can you reach it？'
'I will try。' Nefer braced his bowed back against the roof of the narrow cleft； and shuffled slowly down the sloping floor。 Below him he could just make out the dried twigs that protruded from the nest site。 As he went down further； his view into the nest opened slowly an inch at a time。
The next time he called out his voice was stronger and excited。 'I can see the tiercel。 He is still on the nest。'
'What is he doing？' Taita shouted back。
'He is crouched down。 It seems as though he is sleeping。' Nefer's voice was puzzled。 'I can only see his back。'
The male bird was motionless； lying on the high side of the untidy nest。 But how could he be sleeping and unaware during the motion above him； Nefer wondered。 His own fear was forgotten now in the excitement of having the falcon so close and the nest almost within touching distance。
He moved faster； more confidently； as the floor of the cleft levelled out under his feet； and there was more headroom for him to stand erect。
'I can see his head。' The tiercel was stretched out with his wings spread as though he was mantling a kill。 He is beautiful； Nefer thought； and I am almost close enough to touch him； yet he still shows no fear。
Suddenly he realized he could seize the sleeping bird。 He braced himself for the effort； wedging his shoulder into the cleft； his bare feet in a secure stance under him。 Slowly he leaned out towards the tiercel； then stopped with his hand poised above it。
There were tiny droplets of blood on the russet back feathers。 Bright as polished rubies； they twinkled in the sunlight； and with a sudden； swooping sensation in the pit of his stomach； Nefer realized that the tiercel was dead。 He was overe with a dreadful sense of loss； as though something of great value to him had been taken away for ever。 It seemed more than just the death of the falcon。 The royal bird represented something more： it was the symbol of a god and a king。 As he stared at it； the carcass of the tiercel seemed to be transformed into the dead body of Pharaoh himself。 A sob choked Nefer and he jerked away his hand。
He had moved only just in time； for then he heard a dry； rasping sound and an explosive hiss of air。 Something huge and glittering black whipped out at where his hand had been the moment before； and slammed into the mattress of dried twigs with such force that the whole nest shook。
Nefer recoiled as far as the cramped space in the cleft would allow； and stared at the grotesque creature that now swayed and wove before his face。 His vision seemed sharpened and magnified； time moved with the slow horror of nightmare。 He saw the dead fledglings huddled in the cup of the nest beyond the carcass of the tiercel； the thick； glittering coils of a gigantic black cobra twisted around them。 The snake's head was raised； its hood； marked with a bold pattern of black and white； was spread。
The slippery black tongue flickered out between the thin； grinning lips。 Its eyes were fathomless black； each with a star of reflected light in the centre as they held Nefer in a mesmeric stare。
Nefer tried to scream a warning to Taita； but no sound came from his throat。 He could not tear away his gaze from the cobra's dreadful stare。 It's head swayed gently； but the massive coils that filled the falcon's nest to overflowing pulsed and clenched。 Every polished scale was burnished like a jewel as they rasped against the twigs of the nest。 Each coil was as thick as Nefer's arm； and slowly they revolved upon themselves。
The head swayed back； the mouth gaped； and Nefer could see the pale lining of the throat。 The almost transparent fangs came erect in the folds of soft membrane： there was a tiny bead of colourless venom on the tip of each bony needle。
Then the wicked head flashed forward； as the cobra struck at Nefer's face。
Nefer screamed and hurled himself sideways； lost his balance and tumbled backwards from the cleft。
Even though Taita was braced to take any sudden weight on the rope； he was almost jerked from his stance on top of the cliff as Nefer's weight hit the line。 A coil of the horsehair rope slid through his fingers； scorching the flesh； but he held hard。 He could hear the boy screaming incoherently below him； and feel him swinging at the end of the rope。
Nefer pendulumed out from the cleft then swung straight back towards the falcon's nest。 The cobra had recovered swiftly from its abortive strike； and was once more poised and erect。 It fixed its gaze on the boy and swivelled its head to face him。 At the same time a harsh hiss erupted from its throat。
Nefer screamed again and kicked out wildly at the snake as he flew straight towards it。 Taita heard the terror in that scream and lay back on the rope； hauling until he felt his old muscles crack under the strain。
The cobra struck instinctively at Nefer's eyes as he came within range； but at that instant Taita's heave on the rope end jerked Nefer off…line。 The snake's gaping jaws passed a finger's width from his ear and then； like the lash of a chariot whip； the heavy body flogged across his shoulder。 Nefer screamed again； knowing he was fatally bitten。
As he swung out once more over the open drop he glanced down at the spot on his shoulder into which the serpent had sunk its fangs； and saw the pale yellow venom splashed across the thick leather fold of the saddlebag。 With a wild lift of relief he tore the bag free and as he started to swing back towards where the cobra still stood menacingly； he held the bag like a shield in front of him。
The instant he was within range the cobra struck again； but Nefer caught the blow on the thick leather folds of the bag。 The beast's fangs snagge