d, "if you will accept me. I am young,
but I am ready to go all lengths, and to give my life if needs be to
free Carthage."

CHAPTER V: THE CONSPIRACY

Giscon led his companion along the narrow lanes until he reached the
back entrance of the house where the meetings were held. Knocking in
a particular way it was opened at once and closed behind them. As they
entered a slave took Malchus' horse without a word and fastened it to a
ring in the wall, where four or five other horses were standing.

"I rather wonder you are not afraid of drawing attention by riding on
horseback to a house in such a quarter," Malchus said.

"We dare not meet secretly, you know. The city is full of spies, and
doubtless the movements of all known to be hostile to Hanno and his
party are watched, therefore we thought it best to meet here. We have
caused it to be whispered as a secret in the neighbourhood, that the
house has been taken as a place where we can gamble free from the
presence of our elders. Therefore the only comments we excite is, `There
go those young fools who are ruining themselves.' It is only because you
are on horseback that I have come round to this gate; had you come on
foot we should have entered by the front. Fortunately there are among us
many who are deemed to be mere pleasure seekers--men who wager fortunes
on their horses, who are given to banquets, or whose lives seem to be
passed in luxury and indolence, but who at heart are as earnest in the
cause of Carthage as I am. The presence of such men among us gives a
probability to the tale that this is a gambling house. Were we all of my
stamp, men known to be utterly hostile to Hanno and his party, suspicion
would fall upon our meetings at once. But here we are."

As he spoke he drew aside some heavy curtains and entered a large room.
Some ten or twelve young men were assembled there. They looked up in
surprise as Giscon entered followed by his companion.

"I have brought a recruit," Giscon said, "one whom all of you know by
repute if not personally; it is Malchus, the son of General Hamilcar. He
is young to be engaged in a business like ours, but I have been with him
in a campaign and can answer for him. He is brave, ready, thoughtful and
trustworthy. He loves his country and hates her tyrants. I can guarantee
that he will do nothing imprudent, but can be trusted as one or
ourselves. Being young he will have the advantage of being less likely
to be watched, an