then he grunted across the laurels: "Listen, young
sometimes-one-thing-and-sometimes-another. In future call yourself
Centurion of the Seventh Cohort of the Thirtieth, the Ulpia Victrix. That
will help me to remember you. Your Father and a few other people call me
Maximus."

'He tossed me the polished stick he was leaning on, and went away. You
might have knocked me down with it!'

'Who was he?' said Dan.

'Maximus himself, our great General! _The_ General of Britain who had been
Theodosius's right hand in the Pict War! Not only had he given me my
Centurion's stick direct, but three steps in a good Legion as well! A new
man generally begins in the Tenth Cohort of his Legion, and works up.'

'And were you pleased?' said Una.

'Very. I thought Maximus had chosen me for my good looks and fine style in
marching, but, when I went home, the Pater told me he had served under
Maximus in the great Pict War, and had asked him to promote me.'

'A child you were!' said Puck, from above.

'I was,' said Parnesius. 'Don't begrudge it me, Faun. Afterwards--the Gods
know I put aside the games!' And Puck nodded, brown chin on brown hand,
his big eyes still.

'The night before I left we sacrificed to our ancestors--the usual little
Home Sacrifice--but I never prayed so earnestly to all the Good Shades, and
then I went with my Father by boat to Regnum, and across the chalk
eastwards to Anderida yonder.'

'Regnum? Anderida?' The children turned their faces to Puck.

'Regnum's Chichester,' he said, pointing towards Cherry Clack, and--he
threw his arm South behind him--'Anderida's Pevensey.'

'Pevensey again!' said Dan. 'Where Weland landed?'

'Weland and a few others,' said Puck. 'Pevensey isn't young--even compared
to me!'

'The head-quarters of the Thirtieth lay at Anderida in summer, but my own
Cohort, the Seventh, was on the Wall up North. Maximus was inspecting
Auxiliaries--the Abulci, I think--at Anderida, and we stayed with him, for
he and my Father were very old friends. I was only there ten days when I
was ordered to go up with thirty men to my Cohort.' He laughed merrily. 'A
man never forgets his first march. I was happier than any Emperor when I
led my handful through the North Gate of the Camp, and we saluted the
guard and the Altar of Victory there.'

'How? How?' said Dan and Una.

Parnesius smiled, and stood up, flashing in his armour.

'So!' said he; and he moved slowly through the beautiful movements of the