out making a rush when
I open the door. But they'd better not try; you'd pin some of them,
wouldn't you, Lupe?"

The dog uttered a low, deep, thundering growl.

"That's right, boy. Now, Marcus, my lad, if you feel too tired, say so,
and we'll keep them till the master comes."

"Oh, don't do that," cried the boy. "He'd only talk to them and scold
them, and then let them go, after forgiving them for stealing the
grapes."

"That's right, boy; so he would."

"And they'd all laugh," cried Marcus, "and come again."

"But they won't after the welting you are going to give them, boy--if
you are not too tired."

"Of course I'm tired," cried the boy, impatiently, "after a fight like
that; but then they are tired too, so it's all fair--only six to one?"

"Don't I tell you that I am going to show you how to fight them as a
Roman should, and how we used to conquer in the good old times before we
took to reading and writing and came into the country to keep pigs."

"And grow corn and grapes, and feed our goats in this beautiful farm
villa; and if father liked to take to study instead of being a great
Roman general and senator, it's not for you, Serge, to find fault with
what it pleases him to do."

"Right, boy! Spoken like your father's son. It was only one of my
growls. I don't mind. He's one of the finest men that ever stepped,
and what he says is right. But you and me, we don't want him to let
these young ragamuffins off without loosening their skins a bit to do
them good, do we?"

"No!" cried the boy, joyously, as he showed his white teeth. "I say,
Serge, I feel rested now, and I want to give it to them for knocking me
about as they did. The rascally young plebs! The cowards! Six to one!
I believe they'd have half killed me if they had got me down."

"That they would, Marcus, my boy," cried the old soldier, gazing at him
proudly. "But come on, I'll show you the way, and Lupe and I will look
on and see that they fight fair, while we guard you flank and rear. Old
Lupe shall be ready to scatter their mothers, if they hear that we have
the young rascals fast. No women will interfere if old Lupe begins to
show his teeth."

The man and boy exchanged glances, and, as the former struck his staff
down heavily upon the earth in advancing towards the great, rough door
of the building, the latter's fists clenched involuntarily, and the dog
pricked up his ears and uttered a low sigh.

The next minute a big, ro