I can tell you. But he is kept at the Barcine Syssite on matters
connected with this terrible business of the death of Hasdrubal. He bade
me give you his love, and say he would be back here as soon as he could
get away."

"It is terrible news indeed, Malchus. The loss is a grievous blow to
Carthage, but especially to us who are his near kinsfolk; but for the
moment let us set it aside and talk of your doings. How the sun has
bronzed your face, child! You seem to have grown taller and stouter
since you have been away.

"Yes," one of the sisters laughed, "the child is growing up, mother; you
will have to choose another name for him."

"I think it is about time," Malchus said, joining in the laugh,
"considering that I have killed a lion and have taken part in a
desperate hand-to-hand fight with the wild Atarantes. I think even my
mother must own that I am attaining the dignity of youth."

"I wonder your father let you take part in such strife," the mother said
anxiously; "he promised me that he would, as far as possible, keep you
out of danger."

"Why, mother," Malchus said indignantly, "you don't suppose that my
father was going to coddle me as he might do one of the girls here. You
know he has promised that I shall soon enter the Carthaginian guard, and
fight in the next campaign. I think it has been very hard on me not to
have had a chance of distinguishing myself as my cousin Hannibal did
when he was no older than I am."

"Poor boy," his sister laughed, "he has indeed been unfortunate. Who
can say but that if he had only had opportunities he would have been
a general by this time, and that Rome would have been trembling at the
clash of his armour."

Malchus joined heartily in the laugh about himself.

"I shall never grow to be a general," he said, "unless you get me some
food; it is past midday, and I have not broken my fast this morning. I
warn you that I shall not tell you a word of our adventures until I have
eaten, therefore the sooner you order a meal to be served the better."

The meal was speedily served, and then for an hour Malchus sat with his
mother and sisters, giving them a history of the expedition. There was
a little playful grumbling on the part of his sisters when he told
them that he was going to return to the Syssite to hear what had been
determined by the conclave.

"Surely you can wait until our father returns here, Malchus," Thyra, the
elder, said.

"Yes; but I may be useful," Malch