'What do you do?" said Allo. "I bring an order--a message--from the
Winged Hats that you join them with your men, and march South to
plunder Britain."

"'It grieves me," said Pertinax, "but we are stationed here to stop
that thing."

"'If I carry back such an answer they will kill me," said Allo. "I
always promised the Winged Hats that you would rise when Maximus fell.
I--I did not think he could fall."

"'Alas! my poor barbarian," said Pertinax, still laughing. "Well, you
have sold us too many good ponies to be thrown back to your friends.
We will make you a prisoner, although you are an ambassador."

"'Yes, that will be best," said Allo, holding out a halter. We bound
him lightly, for he was an old man.

"'Presently the Winged Hats may come to look for you, and that will
give us more time. See how the habit of playing for time sticks to a
man!" said Pertinax, as he tied the rope.

"'No," I said. "Time may help. If Maximus wrote us a letter while he
was a prisoner, Theodosius must have sent the ship that brought it. If
he can send ships, he can send men."

"'How will that profit us?" said Pertinax. "We serve Maximus, not
Theodosius. Even if by some miracle of the Gods Theodosius down South
sent and saved the Wall, we could not expect more than the death
Maximus died."

"'It concerns us to defend the Wall, no matter what Emperor dies, or
makes die," I said.

"'That is worthy of your brother the philosopher," said Pertinax.
"Myself I am without hope, so I do not say solemn and stupid things!
Rouse the Wall!"

'We armed the Wall from end to end; we told the officers that there was
a rumour of Maximus's death which might bring down the Winged Hats, but
we were sure, even if it were true, that Theodosius, for the sake of
Britain, would send us help. Therefore, we must stand fast... My
friends, it is above all things strange to see how men bear ill news!
Often the strongest till then become the weakest, while the weakest, as
it were, reach up and steal strength from the Gods. So it was with us.
Yet my Pertinax by his jests and his courtesy and his labours had put
heart and training into our poor numbers during the past years--more
than I should have thought possible. Even our Libyan Cohort--the
Third--stood up in their padded cuirasses and did not whimper. 'In
three days came seven chiefs and elders of the Winged Hats. Among them
was that tall young man, Amal, whom I had met on the beach, and he