would have us flogged if we even let you pass through the
gate of the camp."

"Well," replied the bear-leader, "I won't sell her, but I'll leave the
creature with you a few days; I'll soon come back for her."

"Without pay? That's suspicious!" said Brinno.

"Not without pay!" the other interposed quickly. "Not on any account! I
earn my living by her. You must pay me."

"Very well. But listen: is the beast perfectly tame?"

"Perfectly. If she gets a little unruly, you need only buckle the broad
collar here--do you see?--a little tighter."

"I see."

"Don't neglect to tell everybody who has anything to do with the
animal," warned the Sarmatian.

"Especially the little one," said Brinno. "It would be a pity to have a
hair of her head harmed."

"If only people do nothing to injure her, this clever countrywoman
won't bite them."

Steps echoed from the camp: Adalo was being escorted back.

"Zizais, where are you? We must go!" called the Sarmatian, turning
toward the bushes to search for the boy, who came limping slowly out of
the thicket.

The woollen blanket was now removed from the envoy's head; with a
gloomy face he swung himself upon his horse, his two companions did the
same, and all three soon vanished in the darkness of the forest.

The clank of weapons sounded at the gate; the Thracian spearmen were
coming to relieve the Batavians. At the same moment the bear-leader and
the cripple emerged from the thicket at the left; the former gave the
animal to Rignomer, who tried to drag it with him by the leather collar
toward the camp. But the bear resisted, growling and bracing herself on
her hind paws, as she looked beseechingly with her intelligent eyes at
her master.

"Come, come, Bruna," urged the latter--"they are good people (he
stooped and whispered in her ear) won't you go yet? Didn't you
understand?"

He scratched his head in perplexity. Then the cripple limped forward,
took from his moleskin knapsack a narrow long blue kerchief,--it looked
like a girdle,--and handed it to his master. The latter, laughing, gave
it to the Batavian.

"Yes, yes. That will help. Hold it before the animal. No! Not in front
of her eyes: her nose. There! See how she sniffs? She is getting the
scent. Are you surprised? Yes, the cloth belonged to Bruna's dearest
playfellow. Go on slowly. You see, she is following like a lamb. Well,
greet the Roman camp for me, Bruna: I'll soon come for you."