her."

"Bissula! The little one! The fair one! The red-elf, Suobert's child!"
So shouted hundreds of voices.

"Yes, Bissula, Suobert's daughter. Well then: whoever releases her,
whoever brings her to me from the Roman camp after the battle, shall
receive the Duke's whole share of the booty."

A grateful but sorrowful glance from Adalo rested upon him: the young
noble no longer dared to hope.

"The circle is dissolved, the assembly is over," the old commander
continued; he then turned the upright stone resting against the trunk
of the tree and descended the steps.

The bands, with loud acclamations for the Duke, instantly scattered in
all directions down the sides of the mountain, each division following
the symbols borne in front of its own district and tribe.

Adalo was going too; but the Duke motioned to him to remain, took from
his hand the stag standard and gave it to Sippilo, who bore it proudly
down the Holy Mountain.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

"Stay," said Hariowald, when the heralds, last of all, had left the
place of assembly, "you must know how this battle is to be fought,
according to my plan and wish. For, if the Lofty One should call me up
to him before the victory is won, you must complete it. Therefore you
must now learn all (far more than the men in the army) that for weeks I
have been preparing during sleepless nights, and have secretly
accomplished in the past few days.

"Come, sit down by me; we will spread out on this stone the plan of the
Roman camp, which we owe to your brave little brother.

"It has been of the greatest service to me. I told you yesterday how
the men of the districts were to attack the four sides and gates of the
camp at the same time."

"Yes: but you did not say where you would fight with your bands, and
where I was to go."

"I? I shall take the shortest way--from beneath."

"No! No! Leave it to me. It is the--most dangerous one."

"Yes, yes," cried the old man, laughing. "And you have no suspicion how
dangerous it is. Know then: the ascent cannot be made, as we hoped,
first of all and unexpectedly, taking them by surprise; it cannot be
made until after the foe, alarmed by the assault on the northern wall,
stands ready in full armor."

"Then it will be impossible! But why?"

"Because, as I first learned night before last, the Romans, in digging
out the northern ditch, filled up the extreme northern end of the
subterranean passage; or e