fleet is no longer superior to
that of Rome, and victories at sea, however important, only temporarily
cripple an enemy.

"It is by land the blow must be struck. Were the sea ours, I should say,
land troops in southern Italy, and continue to pour over reinforcements
until all the fighting men of North Africa are at the gates of Rome. But
without the absolute command of the sea this cannot be done. Therefore
I intend to make Spain our base, and to march through Southern Gaul over
the Alps into Italy, and there to fight the Romans on their own ground.
Already I have agents at work among the Gauls and the northern tribes of
Italy, who will, I trust, join me in the war against our common enemy.
The enterprise is a great one, but it is not impossible; if it succeeds,
Rome will be destroyed and Carthage will reign, without a rival,
mistress of the world. The plan was Hasdrubal's, but it has fallen to me
to carry it out."

"It is a grand plan indeed," Malchus exclaimed enthusiastically--"a
glorious plan, but the difficulties seem tremendous."

"Difficulties are made to be overcome by brave men," Hannibal said.
"The Alps are the greatest barrier, but my agents tell me that the
difficulties are not insuperable even for elephants. But before we start
we have Spain to subdue. Saguntum is under the protection of Rome, and
must be crushed, and all the country north of the Ebro conquered and
pacified. This done the passage of reinforcements to my army in Italy
will be easy. The Gauls will favour us, the mountains tribes will
be crushed or bought over, so that the route for the advance of
reinforcements, or for our retreat, if too hardly pressed, will be
always open. But all this is for yourself alone.

"My plans must not yet be known. Already our enemies in Carthage are
gaining in strength. Many of our adherents have been put to death and
the estates of others confiscated; but the capture of Saguntum will
restore our supremacy, and the enthusiasm which it will incite among the
populace will carry all before it. The spoils which will be taken there
will be sufficient to silence every murmur in Carthage. Now leave us,
Malchus, we have much to talk over and to arrange, and I have given you
plenty to think about for the present."

CHAPTER VIII: A PLOT FRUSTRATED

After leaving Hannibal, Malchus did not rejoin his comrades, but mounted
the hills behind the town and sat down there, looking over the sea, and
thinking over the