. "This is a gift from
Amal, that Winged Hat whom you saved on the beach. He says you are a
Man."

"'He is a Man, too. Tell him I can wear his gift," I answered.

"'Oh, Amal is a young fool; but 'speaking as sensible men, your Emperor
is doing such great things in Gaul that the Winged Hats are anxious to
be his friends, or, better still, the friends of his servants. They
think you and Pertinax could lead them to victories." Allo looked at me
like a one-eyed raven.

"'Allo," I said, "you are the corn between the two millstones. Be
content if they grind evenly, and don't thrust your hand between them."

"'I?" said Allo. "I hate Rome and the Winged Hats equally; but if the
Winged Hats thought that some day you and Pertinax might join them
against Maximus, they would leave you in peace while you considered.
Time is what we need--you and I and Maximus. Let me carry a pleasant
message back to the Winged Hats--something for them to make a council
over. We barbarians are all alike. We sit up half the night to
discuss anything a Roman says. Eh?"

"'We have no men. We must fight with words," said Pertinax. "Leave it
to Allo and me."

'So Allo carried word back to the Winged Hats that we would not fight
them if they did not fight us; and they (I think they were a little
tired of losing men in the sea) agreed to a sort of truce. I believe
Allo, who being a horse-dealer loved lies, also told them we might some
day rise against Maximus as Maximus had risen against Rome.

'Indeed, they permitted the corn-ships which I sent to the Picts to
pass North that season without harm. Therefore the Picts were well fed
that winter, and since they were in some sort my children, I was glad
of it. We had only two thousand men on the Wall, and I wrote many
times to Maximus and begged--prayed--him to send me only one cohort of
my old North British troops. He could not spare them. He needed them
to win more victories in Gaul.

'Then came news that he had defeated and slain the Emperor Gratian, and
thinking he must now be secure, I wrote again for men. He answered:
"You will learn that I have at last settled accounts with the pup
Gratian. There was no need that he should have died, but he became
confused and lost his head, which is a bad thing to befall any Emperor.
Tell your Father I am content to drive two mules only; for unless my
old General's son thinks himself destined to destroy me, I shall rest
Emperor of Gaul and Br