r, and
you do better work. Besides, you don't lose your weapon."

"But I feel it's almost too much for me."

"Then don't feel at all," said the old soldier. "Go and do what you've
got to do along with the cavalry when you have got your orders, and
don't think at all. What you have got to do is to skirmish and drive
the enemy, and what I have got to do is to mind they don't skirmish and
drive you. There, jump in boldly, and look as big as you can."

"Nonsense! How am I to look big?"

"By opening your mouth, boy, and speaking loud. You are not afraid?"

"Oh no, I am not afraid," cried Marcus.

"Then don't let that little driver chap think you are," whispered Serge.
"Act like a captain. That little fellow is only your slave, but if you
put on a scared look he'll try to play the master. Unlucky for him if
he does, for, if he don't do what he's told, I'll crack him like I would
a nut."

There was no time for more conversation, for the little detachment under
the captain's command had already begun to advance; an order was brought
to the cavalry, and the chariot driver appealed to Serge to come and
stand at the horses' heads for a moment while he took the reins.

Serge changed places with him directly, while the driver assumed the
reins, the slight touch upon the ponies' withers making them snort and
plunge as much as Serge's strong arms at their bits would allow.

Then a trumpet rang out, Serge joined his young master in the chariot,
and in a few minutes the ponies had settled down into a steady progress
at the rear of the column.

Exciting days followed, during which Marcus began to learn lessons of
what it meant to advance into an enemy's country, the necessity of being
constantly on the alert, where everyone was unfriendly, and to loiter
behind the main body meant being cut off, leaving the loiterer's place
in the column empty.

It was all new to Marcus, as those days passed on, and his captain
followed exactly in the track of the army that had gone before, working
his men hard, practising various evolutions, keeping them on the alert
and ready for action at a moment's notice.

It was on one of these occasions, many days after their start, that
towards evening a halt was called just after the column had moved out
from a narrow mountain ravine, such a place as had presented plenty of
opportunities for the enemy, had they been near, to descend from one of
the side gorges and attack, to the cutting off