She was very pretty. I don't blame him. Nothing could have
suited me better than my eldest brother's doing this, for I was only
too keen to join the Army. I had always feared I should have to stay
at home and look after the estate while my brother took this.'

He rapped on his great glistening shield that never seemed to be in his
way.

'So we were well contented--we young people--and we rode back to
Clausentum along the Wood Road very quietly. But when we reached home,
Aglaia, our governess, saw what had come to us. I remember her at the
door, the torch over her head, watching us climb the cliff-path from
the boat. "Aie! Aie!" she said. "Children you went away. Men and a
woman you return!" Then she kissed Mother, and Mother wept. Thus our
visit to the Waters settled our fates for each of us, maiden.' He rose
to his feet and listened, leaning on the shield-rim.

'I think that's Dan--my brother,' said Una.

'Yes; and the Faun is with him,'he replied, as Dan with Puck stumbled
through the copse.

'We should have come sooner,' Puck called, 'but the beauties of your
native tongue, O Parnesius, have enthralled this young citizen.'

Parnesius looked bewildered, even when Una explained.

'Dan said the plural of "dominus" was "dominoes", and when Miss Blake
said it wasn't he said he supposed it was "backgammon", and so he had
to write it out twice--for cheek, you know.' Dan had climbed into
Volaterrae, hot and panting.

'I've run nearly all the way,'he gasped, 'and then Puck met me. How do
you do, sir?'

'I am in good health,' Parnesius answered. 'See! I have tried to bend
the bow of Ulysses, but--' He held up his thumb.

'I'm sorry. You must have pulled off too soon,' said Dan. 'But Puck
said you were telling Una a story.'

'Continue, O Parnesius,' said Puck, who had perched himself on a dead
branch above them. 'I will be chorus. Has he puzzled you much, Una?'
'Not a bit, except--I didn't know where Ak--Ak something was,' she
answered.

'Oh, Aquae Sulis. That's Bath, where the buns come from. Let the hero
tell his own tale.'

Parnesius pretended to thrust his spear at Puck's legs, but Puck
reached down, caught at the horse-tail plume, and pulled off the tall
helmet.

'Thanks, jester,' said Parnesius, shaking his curly dark head. 'That
is cooler. Now hang it up for me.

'I was telling your sister how I joined the Army,' he said to Dan.

'Did you have to pass an Exam?' Dan asked eagerly.