ard for several days, each night
carefully establishing a well-fortified camp. From the western end of
the lake, where it ran into a stretch of marshy ground densely
overgrown by rushes, and meadows with sedges waving in the wind, they
marched toward the east. Thus, by a toilsome march, they had reached
the foot of the steep hill now crowned by the stately castle of
Meersburg.

The long August day, during which frequent showers of rain had fallen,
though the sky had not been always clouded, was drawing to a close.
Again the sun shone brilliantly through a rift, gilding the whole chain
of mountain peaks of the Bernese Alps to the Allgau heights; the Sentis
glowed in crimson splendor, solemnly, like a king of the mountain
giants who had drawn his radiant mantle around his proud shoulders.

The Roman column halted cautiously at the foot of the steep hill, whose
rocky sides fell abruptly to the lake and the valley on the west, while
the summit, at that time densely covered with trees and bushes,
presented a gloomy, threatening aspect. The oak-leaves and pine-needles
were dripping with rain, and wherever the sun did not shine on them,
looked dark-green, almost black.

Two officers, whose high rank was betokened by the gold and silver
ornaments on their equipments, now flashing brightly in the rays of the
setting sun, rode slowly toward the hill. Before them, bound by the
right and left arms respectively to the stirrups of two mounted
soldiers, walked a guide. A few pioneers with axes and spades
surrounded the leaders, and a little band of Batavian spearmen
followed. One of the officers, a stately man about thirty-five, now
checked his heavy Spanish barb and bent forward, his clear-cut bronzed
features wearing a keenly watchful expression.

"If I have ever known and fought with Germans," he said with a strong
Illyrian accent, "they are hiding in the woods on yonder hill-top,
which is a natural fortress. Halt, I beg, Prefect Praetor of Gaul. We'll
go no farther without reconnoitring. Forward, my brave Batavians.
Rignomer, take six men and climb up among the underbrush. But be wary!
And you, Brinno, trumpeter, give the signal of warning the instant you
discover the foe."

The other officer, a man much his senior, smiled as the order was
executed. "You are over-cautious, Saturninus. Always erring on the side
of prudence!"

"We cannot be over-cautious against this foe, my noble friend. Had not
the Barbarians occupied this