d men were chosen from their ranks and
were placed by Hannibal under the command of Malchus. Trebon was greatly
pleased when he found himself appointed as lieutenant of the company.
Although of noble family his connections were much less influential
than those of the majority of his comrades, and he had deemed himself
exceptionally fortunate in having been permitted to enter the chosen
corps of the Carthaginian cavalry, and had not expected to be made an
officer for years to come, since promotion in the Carthaginian army was
almost wholly a matter of family influence.

"I am indeed obliged to you, Malchus," he said as he joined his friend
after Hannibal had announced his appointment to him. "The general told
me that he had appointed me at your request. I never even hoped that
such good fortune would befall me. Of course I knew that you would
speedily obtain a command, but my people have no influence whatever.
The general says that your company are to act as scouts for the army,
so there will be plenty of opportunity to distinguish ourselves.
Unfortunately I don't see much chance of fighting at present. The
Iberian tribesmen had such a lesson last autumn that they are not likely
for a long time to give us further trouble."

"Do not make yourself uneasy on that score, Trebon," Malchus said, "I
can tell you, but let it go no further, that ere long there will be
fighting enough to satisfy even the most pugnacious."

One evening Malchus had left the club early. Full as he was of the
thoughts of the tremendous struggle which was soon to begin between the
great antagonists, he wearied of the light talk of his gay comrades. The
games of chance, to which a room in the club was allotted, afforded him
no pleasure; nor had he any interest in the wagering which was going
on as to the merits of the horses which were to run in the races on the
following day. On leaving the club he directed his footsteps towards the
top of the hill on which Carthagena stood, and there, sitting alone
on one of the highest points, looked over the sea sparkling in the
moonlight, the many vessels in the harbour and the lagoons stretching
inland on each side of the city.

He tried to imagine the course that the army was to follow, the terrible
journey through the snow covered passes of that tremendous range of
mountains of which he had heard, the descent into the plains of Italy,
and the first sight of Rome. He pictured to himself the battles which
woul