word in hand, and flew straight at Caleb's throat.

But it was for this that the Jew had been waiting, since he knew that no
Roman, and least of all Marcus, would submit to the indignity of such a
blow. As his adversary came on, made almost blind with fury, he leapt
to one side lightly as a lion leaps, and with all the force of his long
sinewy arm brought down his heavy sword upon the head of Marcus. The
helm was good, or the skull beneath must have been split in two by that
blow, which, as it was, shore through it and bit deeply into the bone.
Beneath the shock Marcus staggered, threw his arms wide, and let fall
his sword. With a shout Caleb sprang at him to make an end of him, but
before he could strike the Roman seemed to recover himself, and, knowing
that his weapon was gone, did the only thing he could, rushed straight
at his foe. Caleb's sword fell on his shoulder, but the tempered mail
withstood it, and next instant Marcus had gripped him in his arms. Down
they came together to the earth, rolling over each other, the Jew trying
to stab the Roman, the Roman to choke the Jew with his bare hand. Then
from the Roman lines rose a cry of "Rescue!" and from the Jews a cry of
"Take him."

Out poured the combatants from either side of the market-place by
hundreds and by thousands, and there in its centre, round the struggling
forms of Caleb and of Marcus, began the fiercest fight of all that day.
Where men stood, there they fell, for none would give back, since the
Romans, outnumbered though they were, preferred to die rather than leave
a wounded and beloved captain a prisoner in the hands of cruel enemies,
while the Jews knew too well the value of such a prize to let it escape
them easily. So great was the slaughter that presently Marcus and Caleb
were hidden beneath the bodies of the fallen. More and more Jews rushed
into the fray, but still the Romans pushed onwards with steady valour,
fighting shoulder to shoulder and shield to shield.

Then of a sudden, with a savage yell a fresh body of Jews, three or
four hundred strong, appeared at the west end of the market-place, and
charged upon the Romans, taking them in flank. The officer in command
saw his danger, and knowing that it was better that his captain should
die than that the whole company should be destroyed and the arms of
Caesar suffer a grave defeat, gave orders for a retirement. Steadily,
as though they were on parade, and dragging with them those of their
w