CHAPTER XXX.

During the following night Saturninus made a little reconnoitring
expedition northward and, as far as it was possible to venture into the
swamps without trustworthy guides, towards the east. But he was
compelled to return to camp about noon without success.

"They are evidently hiding in the northwest," he said angrily to his
best officer, Decius, as they rode side by side. "But none of the
guides will go in that direction, and we cannot penetrate into those
forest-clad mountains by force until Nannienus arrives. If we had only
brought his troops with us by land! It is almost useless, it seems to
me, to build galleys to blockade the lake."

"Yes," Decius assented. "The Barbarians must have burned all their
boats, or carried them inland: not one is to be seen."

Directly after the General's return a Batavian came to his tent, and
asked to see him alone.

"What do you desire, brave Rignomer?"

"To report myself for punishment. I drank too much wine."

"When?"

"Last night."

"How? While on guard outside the camp?"

"No, after I was relieved."

"The trader will be scourged. Who sold it to you?"

"No one. That was just it! I shouldn't have drunk so much if I had
bought it. But given! A present of Massican wine! Who can resist it?"

"No German, it seems. And you report for punishment? Of your own free
will? Highly improbable. You were probably detected and wish to
anticipate?"

"No: no one discovered me. When I was relieved, I had been completely
sobered by fright."

"Why?"

"My lord,"--he spoke hesitatingly,--"it is about the Idise."

"Who is that?"

"Why, the red-haired wood nymph."

"What of her?" asked the Illyrian eagerly, now keenly intent.

"My lord, I wish her well! As--as we all do."

"As we all do?"

"Yes, yes," replied the German, smiling, "even you. General; I've noticed
it. Well, I report for punishment, and will tell the whole story
because--because I'm afraid the little one's life is in danger."

"Tell your story," Saturninus commanded, evidently startled. "Who gave
you the wine?"

"Davus, the Prefect's slave."

"Ah--and what happened then?"

"Then it happened that I drank too much, and when I mounted guard outside
of the little one's tent, I soon fell asleep on the soft turf. A terrible
growling roused me. The she-bear owned by a juggler, a Sarmatian, which
I brought into camp yesterday and carried to the captive girl, acted
exactly as though she were a