im with us," continued the man, drily, "and it looks to
me as if we shall have to make an end of him and hang him on the nearest
tree."

"What!" cried Marcus with a look of horror. "You wouldn't be such a
brute?"

"No," said Serge, slowly, "I suppose I wouldn't; but what are we to do?
The first captain that we speak to when we get to the army and ask him
to let us join his lot will shake his head at us if we bring a dog."

"Yes, I suppose so," said Marcus, thoughtfully.

"But look here, we wouldn't bring him. We didn't bring him. He came.
The country's free for all, and if he chooses to follow us we are not to
blame."

"Well, that's right. Are you nearly ready?"

"Yes," said Marcus, taking his helmet from where it rested in the fork
of a young tree, and lowering it slowly upon his head.

"Does it hurt?" said Serge.

"Oh no, it feels quite comfortable now. Why?"

"Because you put it on as if it were red hot. But give the word
`forward,' captain, and let's march. The first farm or house we come to
we must halt and forage. My wallet's empty, and we want something very
much better than water for our next meal."

"Forward, then!" cried Marcus, and the dog responded with a volley of
his deep barking, and bounded off before them, old Serge smiling grimly
the while.

"Got his nose straight for Rome," he said, with a laugh. "Why, if I was
a general, Master Marcus, and going to lead our armies against the
barbarians as won't let us alone but keep on attacking and wanting to
come to plunder the riches of the place, and carry the Roman people off
as slaves, do you know what I'd do?"

"Beat them and drive them back, and make them slaves instead," replied
Marcus.

"Ah, but besides that, my lad, I'd get together an army of dogs like our
Lupe, and set them to work to tear 'em down and chase 'em away."

"Oh, barbarous!" cried Marcus, laughing.

"Barbarous! Aren't they barbarians? Why, I don't believe you could
manage it in a better way."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

TOO LATE.

It was the beginning of a tramp that lasted days.

Rome had been soon reached, but they were too late to witness the
turmoil of excitement that had preceded and accompanied the departure of
the last division of the army which, Marcus and his companion gathered
from a group of invalided soldiers left behind, had been tarrying and
awaiting the return of Caius Julius to assume the supreme command. He,
they were told, had been away up