together like a rock? It was splendid, boy, though it was almost
too dark to see."

"Oh yes, I recollect something of it; but it was all wild and confused
and strange. I couldn't see anything clearly."

"No more could anyone else, boy. We, who do the fighting, never see."

"Because it was so dark to-night."

"It would be just the same by day. But, hallo! Where's your spear?"

"I don't know," said Marcus, staring. "Oh, I think I remember, I threw
it at a horseman, just before we went crash upon him and the chariot was
nearly overturned. But there, don't ask me. It seemed to be all one
wild struggle and noise, and my head's all whirling now."

"Well, what did you expect it to be?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Marcus. "But tell me, Serge, have we won?"

"Won? Of course! We Romans always do. This was through our leader's
skill, training against an undisciplined horde of horsemen, twice our
number I should think. They are in full retreat, and I expect we shall
find they have left half their number upon the field."

"Hark!" cried Marcus, excitedly. "Here they come again!"

"No, boy; not at a gentle trot like that. Those you hear are the best
portion of our horsemen who have been pursuing and scattering the enemy
far and wide. Rather exciting all this, my lad, eh?"

"Exciting? Yes! Only I couldn't understand."

"But your captain could, my boy, and won the fight. Here, catch hold of
this; and next time you throw your spear, pick up another, sharp."

"But oughtn't you to have given me one directly? You taught me
something of the kind."

"So I did, boy; but you see I have been out of practice for many years,
and forgot my duty in the hurry of the fight; but I won't do so again."

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

OLD SERGE MUSES.

"Sure you are not hurt, boy?" said Serge, as they stood waiting by the
chariot for further orders, their sturdy little driver taking advantage
of the opportunity to carefully attend to his steeds.

"Hurt? No!" cried Marcus. "I only feel hot and excited."

"Of course you do; but I don't suppose we shall move now for some time,
till the captain's scouts that he must have sent out bring back news of
the enemy, and then he will camp for the rest of the night. He ought
to. I should, so as to give the men a rest ready for when the enemy
attacks again in the morning."

"But you said that the enemy were beaten and driven away."

"So they were, boy, but in a war like this they w