ook before me a solemn oath that he will keep the
truce inviolate, and requires you to do the same. I have promised to
take back your answer."

The Roman commander was greatly vexed at his non-success, and at the
long continued trouble which he saw would arise from the presence of
this determined band in the mountains. They would probably be joined by
some of the recently subdued tribes, and would be a thorn in the side of
the Roman force holding the island. He was, therefore, much relieved by
this unexpected proposal.

"Return to him who sent you," he said, "and tell him that I, Publius
Manlius, commander of that portion of the 10th Legion here, do hereby
swear before the gods that I will hold the truce inviolate, and that I
will meet him here with two officers, as he proposes, at noon tomorrow."

At the appointed hour Malchus, with the two officers, standing just
inside the edge of the forest, saw the Roman general advancing with two
companions; they at once went forward to meet them.

"I am come," Malchus said, "to offer to surrender to you on certain
terms. I gave you my reasons in the message I yesterday sent you. With
my band here I could defy your attempts to capture me for years, but I
do not care to lead the life of a mountain robber. Hannibal treats his
captives mercifully, and the treatment which was bestowed upon me and my
companions, who were not even taken in fair fight, but were blown by a
tempest into your port, was a disgrace to Rome. My demand is this,
that we shall be treated with the respect due to brave men, that we be
allowed to march without guard or escort down to the port, where we will
go straight on board a vessel there prepared for us. We will then
lay down our arms and surrender as prisoners of war, under the solemn
agreement taken and signed by you and the governor of the island, and
approved and ratified by the senate of Rome, that, in the first place,
the garments and armour of which we were deprived when captured, shall
be restored to us, and that we shall then be conveyed in the ship to
Rome, there to remain as prisoners of war until exchanged, being sent
nowhere else, and suffering no pains or penalties whatever for what has
taken place on this island."

The Roman general was surprised and pleased with the moderation of
the demand. He had feared that Malchus would have insisted upon being
restored with his companions to the Carthaginian army in Italy. Such
a proposition he would h