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Malchus, struggled to the bank after being upset in the passage. Seeing

that he attempted neither to fly nor to defend himself, they rushed upon

him tumultuously, stripped him of his arms and armour, and dragged him

before their leader. The latter briefly ordered him to be brought

along, and the party continued their hurried march, fearing that the

Carthaginian horse might at any moment pursue them. For the rest of the

afternoon they marched without a halt, but at nightfall stopped in a

wood.

No fires were lit, for they knew not how close the Carthaginians might

be behind them. Malchus was bound hand and foot and thrown down in their

midst. There was no sleep that night. Half the party remained on watch,

the others sat together round the spot where Malchus lay and

discussed the disastrous events of the day--the great flotilla of the

Carthaginians, the sudden attack in their rear, the destruction of their

camp, the capture of the whole of their goods, and the slaughter and

defeat which had befallen them.

As their dialect differed but little from that of the Gauls in the

Carthaginian service, Malchus was enabled to understand the greater part

of their conversation, and learned that the only reason why he was not

put to death at once was that they wished to keep him until beyond the

risk of pursuit of the Carthaginians, when he could be sacrificed to

their gods formally and with the usual ceremonies.

All the time that they were talking Malchus listened anxiously for any

sudden outbreak which would tell that Nessus had been discovered. That

the Numidian had followed on their traces and was somewhere in the

neighbourhood Malchus had no doubt, but rescue in his present position

was impossible, and he only hoped that his follower would find that this

was so in time and would wait for a more favourable opportunity. The

night passed off quietly, and in the morning the natives continued their

march. After proceeding for three or four hours a sudden exclamation

from one of them caused the others to turn, and in the distance a

black mass of horsemen was seen approaching. At a rapid run the natives

started off for the shelter of a wood half a mile distant. Malchus was

forced to accompany them. He felt sure that the horsemen were a party

of Hannibal's cavalry, and he wondered whether Nessus was near enough to

see them, for if so he doubted not that he would manage to join them and

lead them to his rescue.

Just before they reached the wood the natives suddenly stopped, for,

coming from the opposite direction was another body of cavalry. It

needed not the joyous shouts of the natives to tell Malchus that these

were Romans, for they were coming from the south and could only be a

party of Scipio's cavalry. The natives halted at the edge of the wood

to watch the result of the conflict, for the parties evidently saw each

other, and both continued to advance at full speed. The Roman trumpets

were sounding, while the wild yells which came up on the breeze told

Malchus that Hannibal's cavalry were a party of the Numidians.

The Romans were somewhat the most numerous; but, had the cavalry opposed

to them consisted of the Carthaginian horse, Malchus would have had

little doubt as to the result; he felt, however, by no means certain

that the light armed Numidians were a match for the Roman cavalry. The

party had stopped but a quarter of a mile from the spot where the rival

bands met, and the crash of bodies driven violently against each other

and the clash of steel on armour could be plainly heard.

For a few minutes it was a wild confused melee, neither party appearing

to have any advantage. Riderless steeds galloped off from the throng,

but neither party seemed to give way afoot. The whole mass seemed

interlaced in conflict. It was a moving struggling throng of bodies with

arms waving high and swords rising and falling. The Romans fought in

silence, but the wild yells of the Numidians rose shrill and continuous.

At last there was a movement, and Malchus gave a groan while the natives

around him shouted in triumph as the Numidians were seen to detach

themselves from the throng and to gallop off at full speed, hotly

followed by the Romans, both, however, in greatly diminished numbers,

for the ground on which the conflict had taken place was thickly strewn

with bodies; nearly half of those who had engaged in that short but

desperate strife were lying there.

No sooner had the pursuers and pursued disappeared in the distance than

the natives thronged down to the spot. Such of the Numidians as were

found to be alive were instantly slaughtered, and all were despoiled of

their clothes, arms, and ornaments. The Romans were left untouched, and

those among them who were found to be only wounded were assisted by

the natives, who unbuckled their armour, helped them into a sitting

position, bound up their wounds, and gave them water.

Highly satisfied with the booty they obtained, and having no longer any

fear of pursuit, the natives halted to await the return of the Romans.

Malchus learned from their conversation that they had some little doubt

whether the Romans would approve of their appropriating the spoils of

the dead Numidians, and it was finally decided to hand over Malchus,

whose rich armour proclaimed him to be a prisoner of importance, to the

Roman commander.

The main body of the natives, with all the spoil which had been

collected, moved away to the wood, while the chief, with four of his

companions and Malchus, remained with the wounded Romans. It was late in

the evening before the Romans returned, after having, as has been said,

followed the Numidians right up to Hannibal's camp. There was some

grumbling on the part of the Roman soldiers when they found that their

allies had forestalled them with the spoil; but the officer in command

was well pleased at finding that the wounded had been carefully attended

to, and bade the men be content that they had rendered good service

to the public, and that Scipio would be well satisfied with them. The

native chief now exhibited the helmet and armour of Malchus, who was led

forward by two of his men.

"Who are you?" the commander asked Malchus in Greek, a language which

was understood by the educated both of Rome and Carthage.

"I am Malchus, and command the scouts of Hannibal's army."

"You are young for such a post," the officer said; "but in Carthage

it is interest not valour which secures promotion. Doubtless you are

related to Hannibal."

"I am his cousin," Malchus said quietly.

"Ah!" the Roman said sarcastically, "that accounts for one who is a mere

lad being chosen for so important a post. However, I shall take you

to Scipio, who will doubtless have questions to ask of you concerning

Hannibal's army."

Many of the riderless horses on the plain came in on hearing the sound

of the Roman trumpets and rejoined the troop. Malchus was placed on

one of these. Such of the wounded Romans as were able to ride mounted

others, and a small party being left behind to look after those unable

to move, the troops started on their way.

They were unable, however, to proceed far; the horses had been

travelling since morning and were now completely exhausted; therefore,

after proceeding a few miles the troop halted. Strong guards were

posted, and the men lay down by their horses, ready to mount at a

moment's notice, for it was possible that Hannibal might have sent a

large body of horsemen in pursuit. As on the night before, Malchus felt

that even if Nessus had so far followed him he could do nothing while so

strong a guard was kept up, and he therefore followed the example of the

Roman soldiers around him and was soon fast asleep.

At daybreak next morning the troops mounted and again proceeded to the

south. Late in the afternoon a cloud of dust was seen in the distance,

and the party presently rode into the midst of the Roman army, who had

made a day's march from their ships and were just halting for the night.

The commander of the cavalry at once hastened to Scipio's tent to inform

him of the surprising fact that Hannibal had already, in the face of

the opposition of the tribes, forced the passage of the Rhone, and that,

with the exception of the elephants, which had been seen still on the

opposite bank, all the army were across.

Scipio was greatly mortified at the intelligence, for he had deemed it

next to impossible that Hannibal could carry his army across so wide and

rapid a river in the face of opposition. He had little doubt now that

Hannibal's intention was to follow the Rhone down on its left bank to

its mouth, and he prepared at once for a battle. Hearing that a prisoner

of some importance had been captured, he ordered Malchus to be brought

before him. As the lad, escorted by a Roman soldier on each side, was

led in, Scipio, accustomed to estimate men, could not but admire the

calm and haughty self possession of his young prisoner. His eye fell

with approval upon his active sinewy figure, and the knotted muscles of

his arms and legs.

"You are Malchus, a relation of Hannibal, and the commander of the

scouts of his army, I hear," Scipio began.

Malchus bowed his head in assent.

"What force has he with him, and what are his intentions?"

"I know nothing of his intentions," Malchus replied quietly, "as to his

force, it were better that you inquired of your allies, who saw us pass

the river. One of them was brought hither with me, and can tell you what

he saw."

"Know you not," Scipio said, "that I can order you to instant execution

if you refuse to answer my questions?"

"Of that I am perfectly well aware," Malchus replied; "but I

nevertheless refuse absolutely to answer any questions."

"I will give you until tomorrow morning to think the matter over, and if

by that time you have not made up your mind to give me the information I

require, you die."

So saying he waved his hand to the soldiers, who at once removed Malchus

from his presence. He was taken to a small tent a short distance away,

food was given to him, and at nightfall chains were attached to his

ankles, and from these to the legs of two Roman soldiers appointed to

guard him during the night, while a sentry was placed at the entrance.

The chains were strong, and fitted so tightly round the ankles that

escape was altogether impossible. Even had he possessed arms and could

noiselessly have slain the two soldiers, he would be no nearer getting

away, for the chains were fastened as securely round their limbs as

round his own. Malchus, therefore, at once abandoned any idea of escape,

and lying quietly down meditated on his fate in the morning.

CHAPTER XII: AMONG THE PASSES

It was not until long after the guards to whom he was chained had fallen

asleep that Malchus followed their example. It seemed to him he had been

asleep a long time when a pressure by a hand on his shoulder woke him;

at the same moment another hand was placed over his mouth.

"Hush, my lord!" a voice said. It was Nessus. "Arise and let us go.

There is no time to be lost, for it is nigh morning. I have been the

whole night in discovering where you were."

"But the guards, Nessus?"

"I have killed them," Nessus said in a tone of indifference.

"But I am chained to them by the ankles."

Nessus gave a little exclamation of impatience, and then in the darkness

felt the irons to discover the nature of the fastenings. In a minute

there was a sound of a dull crashing blow, then Nessus moved to the

other side and the sound was repeated. With two blows of his short heavy

sword the Arab had cut off the feet of the dead Romans at the ankle, and

the chains were free.

"Put on the clothes of this man, my lord, and take his arms; I will take

those of the other."

As soon as this was done Nessus wrapped some folds of cloth round each

of the chains to prevent their clanking, then passing a band through the

ends he fastened them to Malchus' waist.

"Quick, my lord," he said as he finished the work; "daylight is

beginning to break."

They stepped over the dead sentry at the door of the tent and were going

on when Malchus said:

"Best lift him inside, Nessus; it may be some little time before it is

noticed that he is missing from his post."

This was quickly done, and they then moved away quietly among the tents

till they approached the rear of the camp. It was now light enough to

enable them to see dimly the figures of the Roman sentries placed at

short intervals round the camp.

"We cannot get through unseen," Malchus said.

"No, my lord," Nessus replied; "I have wasted too much time in finding

you."

"Then we had best lie down quietly here," Malchus said; "in a short time

the men will be moving about, and we can then pass through the sentries

without remark."

As the light spread over the sky sounds of movement were heard in the

camp, and soon figures were moving about, some beginning to make fires,

others to attend to their horses. The two Carthaginians moved about

among the tents as if similarly occupied, secure that their attire as

Roman soldiers would prevent any observation being directed towards

them. They were anxious to be off, for they feared that at any moment

they might hear the alarm raised on the discovery that the sentry was

missing.

It was nearly broad daylight now, and when they saw two or three

soldiers pass out between the sentries unquestioned they started at once

to follow them. The morning was very cold, and the soldiers who were

about were all wearing their military cloaks. Malchus had pulled the

irons as high up as he could possibly force them, and they did not show

below his cloak.

Walking carelessly along they passed through the sentries, whose duties,

now that morning had dawned, related only to discovering an enemy

approaching the camp, the soldiers being now free to enter or leave as