ce Sardinia back to allegiance in a single
battle and to bring you the traitor's head."

Gelimer hesitated. "Now? Send away the whole fleet and the flower of
the foot-soldiers? Now? When the Emperor may threaten us here on
the mainland at any moment? This must be considered. I must consult
Verus--"

"Verus?" cried Hilda, eagerly. "I forgot to tell you. Verus bade me say
to you that he advised trampling out these first sparks without delay.
'I send you, Hilda,' he said with a peculiar smile, 'because I know
that you will urge and fan the flame of a swift warlike expedition.'
You, O King, ought at once, before you return to the Capitol, to
prepare the fleet in the harbor for departure and send it to Sardinia
under Zazo."

"It is prepared," cried the latter, joyously. "For three days it has
been ready to meet the Byzantines. But the nearest foe is the best one.
Oh, give the command, my King."

"Did Verus counsel it?" said the latter, gravely. "Then it is
advisable, is for my welfare. Then, Zazo, your wish shall be
fulfilled."

"Up! to the ships! to the sea! to battle!" shouted the latter,
exultingly. "Up, follow me. Vandals! Tread the decks of the
fame-crowned vessels again! The sea, the ocean, was ever the heaving
blue battlefield of your greatest victories. Do you feel the breath of
the morning wind, the strong south-southeast? It is the fair one for
Sardinia."

"The god of wishes himself, who breathes in and rules the wind, is
sending it to you, descendants of Genseric. Follow it; it is the breath
of victory that fills your sails. To battle! To battle! On to the sea!
On to the sea! On to Sardinia!" a thousand voices shouted tumultuously.
Full of passionate excitement, overflowing with warlike enthusiasm, the
Vandals poured out of the Grove of Venus toward Carthage and the
harbor.

The Romans gazed after them in amazement; the whole living generation
had never witnessed any trace of this spirit in their luxurious,
effeminate rulers.

"What do you say now, my Lord?" asked the younger stranger. "Have you
not changed your opinion?"

"No."

"What? Yet you saw--" he pointed to the dead tiger.

"I saw it. I heard the war-cry of the crowd too. I am sorry for the
brave King and his family. Let us go to our ship. They will all be lost
together."

CHAPTER XIX

During the day following the nocturnal festival the fleet sailed out of
the harbor of Carthage; it was only necessary t