If not , and if the inhabitants prove as inhospitable as Polyphemus , or the Laestrygons , then there will but half of us perish , and the remainder may set sail and escape . '' As nobody objected to this scheme , Ulysses proceeded to count the whole band , and found that there were forty-six men , including himself . He then numbered off twenty-two of them , and put Eurylochus -LRB- who was one of his chief officers , and second only to himself in sagacity -RRB- at their head . Ulysses took command of the remaining twenty-two men , in person . Then , taking off his helmet , he put two shells into it , on one of which was written , `` Go , '' and on the other `` Stay . '' Another person now held the helmet , while Ulysses and Eurylochus drew out each a shell ; and the word `` Go '' was found written on that which Eurylochus had drawn . In this manner , it was decided that Ulysses and his twenty-two men were to remain at the seaside until the other party should have found out what sort of treatment they might expect at the mysterious palace . As there was no help for it , Eurylochus immediately set forth at the head of his twenty-two followers , who went off in a very melancholy state of mind , leaving their friends in hardly better spirits than themselves . No sooner had they clambered up the cliff , than they discerned the tall marble towers of the palace , ascending , as white as snow , out of the lovely green shadow of the trees which surrounded it . A gush of smoke came from a chimney in the rear of the edifice . This vapor rose high in the air , and , meeting with a breeze , was wafted seaward , and made to pass over the heads of the hungry mariners . When people 's appetites are keen , they have a very quick scent for anything savory in the wind . `` That smoke comes from the kitchen ! '' cried one of them , turning up his nose as high as he could , and snuffing eagerly . `` And , as sure as I 'm a half-starved vagabond , I smell roast meat in it . '' `` Pig , roast pig ! '' said another . `` Ah , the dainty little porker . My mouth waters for him . '' `` Let us make haste , '' cried the others , `` or we shall be too late for the good cheer ! ''
But scarcely had they made half a dozen steps XXXXX the edge of the cliff , when a bird came fluttering to meet them .
As In at for from if of on than with