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and the man leaped to his feet with a shout. Malchus told him in Italian

that he was free to go, but that the swine must be confiscated for the

use of his followers. The man did not understand his words, but, seeing

by his gestures that he was free to go, set off at the top of his speed,

hardly believing that he could have escaped with his life, and in no

way concerned at the loss of the herd. This was, indeed, the property of

various individuals in one of the villages at the foot of the hills--it

being then, as now, the custom for several men owning swine to send them

together under the charge of a herdsman into the mountains, where for

months together they live in a half wild state on acorns and roots, a

villager going up occasionally with supplies of food for the swineherd.

No sooner had the peasant disappeared than a shout from one of the men

some fifty yards away called the attention of Malchus.

"Here is the man's fire, my lord."

A joyous exclamation rose from the soldiers, for, the thought of all

this meat and no means of cooking it was tantalizing every one. Malchus

hurried to the spot, where, indeed, was a heap of still glowing embers.

Some of the men at once set to work to collect dried sticks, and in a

few minutes a great fire was blazing. One of the pigs was slaughtered

and cut up into rations, and in a short time each man was cooking his

portion stuck on a stick over the fire.

A smaller fire was lit for the use of the officers a short distance

away, and here Nessus prepared their share of the food for Malchus

and his two companions. After the meal the spears were improved by the

points being hardened in the fire. When they were in readiness to march

two of the men were told off as fire keepers, and each of these took two

blazing brands from the fire, which, as they walked, they kept crossed

before them, the burning points keeping each other alight. Even with one

man there would be little chance of losing the fire, but with two such a

misfortune could scarcely befall them.

A party of ten men took charge of the herd of swine, and the whole

then started for the point they intended to make to in the heart of

the mountains. Before the end of the day a suitable camping place was

selected in a watered valley. The men then set to work to cut down

boughs and erect arbours. Fires were lighted and another pig being

killed those who preferred it roasted his flesh over the fire, while

others boiled their portions, the Roman shields being utilized as pans.

"What do you think of doing, Malchus?" Halco asked as they stretched

themselves out on a grassy bank by the stream when they had finished

their meal. "We are safe here, and in these forests could defy the

Romans to find us for months. Food we can get from the villages at the

foot of the hills, and there must be many swine in the forest beside

this herd which we have captured. The life will not be an unpleasant

one, but--" and he stopped.

"But you don't wish to end your days here," Malchus put in for him, "nor

do I. It is pleasant enough, but every day we spend here is a waste of

our lives, and with Hannibal and our comrades combating the might of

Rome we cannot be content to live like members of the savage tribes

here. I have no doubt that we shall excite such annoyance and alarm by

our raids among the villages in the plains that the Romans will ere long

make a great effort to capture us, and doubtless they will enlist the

natives in their search. Still, we may hope to escape them, and there

are abundant points among these mountains where we may make a stand

and inflict such heavy loss upon them that they will be glad to come to

terms. All I would ask is that they shall swear by their gods to treat

us well and to convey us as prisoners of war to Rome, there to remain

until exchanged. In Rome we could await the course of events patiently.

Hannibal may capture the city. The senate, urged by the relatives of the

many prisoners we have taken, may agree to make an exchange, and we may

see chances of our making our escape. At any rate we shall be in the

world and shall know what is going on."

"But could we not hold out and make them agree to give us our freedom?"

"I do not think so," Malchus said. "It would be too much for Roman pride

to allow a handful of escaped prisoners to defy them in that way, and

even if the prefect of this island were to agree to the terms, I do not

believe that the senate would ratify them. We had better not ask too

much. For myself I own to a longing to see Rome. As Carthage holds

back and will send no aid to Hannibal, I have very little hope of ever

entering it as a conqueror, and rather than not see it at all I would

not mind entering it as a prisoner. There are no mines to work there,

and the Romans, with so vast a number of their own people in the hands

of Hannibal, would not dare to treat us with any cruelty or severity.

"Here it is different. No rumour of our fate will ever reach Hannibal,

and had every one of us died in those stifling mines he would never have

been the wiser."

The two officers both agreed with Malchus; as for the soldiers, they

were all too well pleased with their present liberty and their escape

from the bondage to give a thought to the morrow.

The next day Malchus and his companions explored the hills of the

neighbourhood, and chose several points commanding the valleys by which

their camp could be approached, as lookout places. Trees were cleared

away, vistas cut, and wood piled in readiness for making bonfires, and

two sentries were placed at each of these posts, their orders being to

keep a vigilant lookout all over the country, to light a fire instantly

the approach of any enemy was perceived, and then to descend to the camp

to give particulars as to his number and the direction of his march.

A few days later, leaving ten men at the camp with full instructions as

to what to do in case of an alarm by the enemy, Malchus set out with the

rest of the party across the mountains. The sun was their only guide

as to the direction of their course, and it was late in the afternoon

before they reached the crest of the easternmost hills and looked down

over the wide plain which divides the island into two portions. Here

they rested until the next morning, and then, starting before daybreak,

descended the slopes. They made their way to a village of some size at

the mouth of a valley, and were unnoticed until they entered it. Most

of the men were away in the fields; a few resisted, but were speedily

beaten down by the short heavy sticks which the Carthaginians carried in

addition to their spears.

Malchus had given strict orders that the latter weapons were not to be

used, that no life was to be taken, and that no one was to be hurt or

ill used unless in the act of offering resistance. For a few minutes the

confusion was great, women and children running about screaming in wild

alarm. They were, however, pacified when they found that no harm was

intended.

On searching the village large stores of grain were discovered and

abundance of sacks were also found, and each soldier filled one of these

with as much grain as he could conveniently carry. A number of other

articles which would be useful to them were also taken--cooking pots,

wooden platters, knives, and such arms as could be found. Laden with

these the Carthaginians set out on their return to camp. Loaded as they

were it was a long and toilsome journey, and they would have had

great difficulty in finding their way back had not Malchus taken

the precaution of leaving four or five men at different points with

instructions to keep fires of damp wood burning so that the smoke should

act as a guide. It was, however, late on the second day after their

leaving the village before they arrived in camp. Here the men set to

work to crush the grain between flat stones, and soon a supply of rough

cakes were baking in the embers.

A month passed away. Similar raids to the first were made when the

supplies became exhausted, and as at the second village they visited

they captured six donkeys, which helped to carry up the burdens, the

journeys were less fatiguing than on the first occasion. One morning as

the troop were taking their breakfast a column of bright smoke rose from

one of the hill tops. The men simultaneously leaped to their feet.

"Finish your breakfast," Malchus said, "there will be plenty of time.

Slay two more hogs and cut them up. Let each man take three or four

pounds of flesh and a supply of meal."

Just as the preparations were concluded the two men from the lookout

arrived and reported that a large force was winding along one of the

valleys. There were now but six of the herd of swine left--these were

driven into the forest. The grain and other stores were also carried

away and carefully hidden, and the band, who were now all well armed

with weapons taken in the different raids on the villages, marched away

from their camp.

Malchus had already with his two comrades explored all the valleys in

the neighbourhood of the camp, and had fixed upon various points

for defence. One of these was on the line by which the enemy were

approaching. The valley narrowed in until it was almost closed

by perpendicular rocks on either side. On the summit of these the

Carthaginians took their post. They could now clearly make out the

enemy; there were upwards of a thousand Roman troops, and they were

accompanied by fully five hundred natives.

When the head of the column approached the narrow path of the valley

the soldiers halted and the natives went on ahead to reconnoitre. They

reported that all seemed clear, and the column then moved forward. When

it reached the gorge a shout was heard above and a shower of rocks fell

from the crags, crushing many of the Romans. Their commander at once

recalled the soldiers, and these then began to climb the hillside,

wherever the ground permitted their doing so. After much labour they

reached the crag from which they had been assailed, but found it

deserted.

All day the Romans searched the woods, but without success. The

natives were sent forward in strong parties. Most of these returned

unsuccessful, but two of them were suddenly attacked by the

Carthaginians, and many were slaughtered.

For four days the Romans pursued their search in the forest, but never

once did they obtain a glimpse of the Carthaginians save when, on

several occasions, the latter appeared suddenly in places inaccessible

from below and hurled down rocks and stones upon them. The Sards had

been attacked several times, and were so disheartened by the losses

inflicted upon them that they now refused to stir into the woods unless

accompanied by the Romans.

At the end of the fourth day, feeling it hopeless any longer to pursue

the fugitive band over these forest covered mountains, the Roman

commander ordered the column to move back towards its starting place. He

had lost between forty and fifty of his men and upwards of a hundred of

the Sards had been killed. Just as he reached the edge of the forest he

was overtaken by one of the natives.

"I have been a prisoner in the hands of the Carthaginians," the man

said, "and their leader released me upon my taking an oath to deliver a

message to the general." The man was at once brought before the officer.

"The leader of the escaped slaves bids me tell you," he said, "that had

you ten times as many men with you it would be vain for you to attempt

to capture them. You searched, in these four days, but a few square

miles of the forest, and, although he was never half a mile away from

you, you did not succeed in capturing him. There are hundreds of square

miles, and, did he choose to elude you, twenty thousand men might search

in vain. He bids me say that he could hold out for years and harry all

the villages of the plains; but he and his men do not care for living

the life of a mountain tribe, and he is ready to discuss terms of

surrender with you, and will meet you outside the forest here with two

men with him if you on your part will be here with the same number at

noon tomorrow. He took before me a solemn oath that he will keep the

truce inviolate, and requires you to do the same. I have promised to

take back your answer."

The Roman commander was greatly vexed at his non-success, and at the

long continued trouble which he saw would arise from the presence of

this determined band in the mountains. They would probably be joined by

some of the recently subdued tribes, and would be a thorn in the side of

the Roman force holding the island. He was, therefore, much relieved by

this unexpected proposal.

"Return to him who sent you," he said, "and tell him that I, Publius

Manlius, commander of that portion of the 10th Legion here, do hereby

swear before the gods that I will hold the truce inviolate, and that I

will meet him here with two officers, as he proposes, at noon tomorrow."

At the appointed hour Malchus, with the two officers, standing just

inside the edge of the forest, saw the Roman general advancing with two

companions; they at once went forward to meet them.

"I am come," Malchus said, "to offer to surrender to you on certain

terms. I gave you my reasons in the message I yesterday sent you. With

my band here I could defy your attempts to capture me for years, but I

do not care to lead the life of a mountain robber. Hannibal treats his

captives mercifully, and the treatment which was bestowed upon me and my

companions, who were not even taken in fair fight, but were blown by a

tempest into your port, was a disgrace to Rome. My demand is this,

that we shall be treated with the respect due to brave men, that we be

allowed to march without guard or escort down to the port, where we will

go straight on board a vessel there prepared for us. We will then

lay down our arms and surrender as prisoners of war, under the solemn

agreement taken and signed by you and the governor of the island, and