im by the
shoulder:

"Why, you young dog, it's all written in your face! You've run away!
Ha-ha! I don't mean from the fight, but to it. Let me see. Am I
right? You being a trained young soldier, wanted to go with your father
to the war, and he told you to stay at home. You've run away to follow
him. Am I right?"

Marcus looked at him firmly now. There was no shrinking in his eyes,
for he was uttering the truth.

"Yes, sir," he said, huskily; "quite right."

"Well, but I say, captain," growled Serge, "that's all true enough,
every word. But the boy aren't a bit worse than me. The master said I
was to stop at home and mind him and the swine and things about the
farm; but I couldn't do it with the smell of battle in the air, being an
old soldier, don't you see, and the master gone to lead. I felt like
the boy did, ashamed to stop and let one's armour rust when Rome's
enemies were waiting to be beaten. I felt obliged to come, and so did
young Marcus here. A brave boy, captain, so don't be hard."

"Hah!" cried the captain, frowning severely. "A nice pair, both of you!
It isn't likely, but how could I meet Cracis or Julius by and by if I
took you into my following?"

"Oh, we'd keep out of sight, captain," growled Serge.

The captain pointed mockingly at Marcus.

"He doesn't look much like a boy who'd keep out of sight, old warrior,"
he said. "Far more likely to thrust himself into the front with all the
unbalanced rashness of a boy. A nice pair indeed! But I should like to
have a thousand of you, all the same. No, I don't think I ought to take
you, boy," he continued, slowly, with a very severe frown gathering on
his forehead. "But look here; I don't like to stand in the light of one
of Rome's brave sons, however young, at a time when our country needs
their help. But tell me, boy; if I say to you, go back home and wait a
year or two till you have grown more of a man, you will go back at once,
will you not?"

"Shall you tell Serge to go back too?" replied Marcus, sharply.

"Most certainly not," said the captain, laughing. "He has offered his
services, and I have taken him. You will have to go home alone. Tell
me, will you obey my orders?"

"No," said Marcus, firmly. "I am not going to forsake old Serge."

"You are a pretty fellow for a volunteer," cried the captain, merrily.
"Ask me to take you into my following, and, at the first command I give
you, tell me flat to my nose that you won