them, and then rushed out to die with you, but
when I saw them take you a prisoner I followed your orders. I had no
difficulty in keeping you in sight until nightfall. Then I crept up to
the wood and made my way until I was within a few yards of you and lay
there till nearly morning; but, as the men around you never went to
sleep, I could do nothing and stole away again before daylight broke.
Then I followed again until I saw our horsemen approaching. I had
started to run towards them to lead them to you when I saw the Roman
horse, and I again hid myself.

"The next night again the Romans kept too vigilant a watch for me to do
anything, and I followed them all yesterday until I saw them enter the
Roman camp. As soon as it was dark I entered, and, getting into the
part of the camp occupied by the Massilians, whose Gaulish talk I could
understand a little, I gathered that a Carthaginian prisoner who had
been brought in was to be executed in the morning. So I set to work
to find you; but the night was too dark to see where the sentries were
placed, and I had to crawl round every tent to see if one stood at the
entrance on guard, for I was sure that a sentry would be placed over
you. I entered seven tents, at whose doors sentries were placed, before
I found yours, but they were all those of Roman generals or persons of
importance. I entered each time by cutting a slit in the back of the
tent. At last when I was beginning to despair, I found your tent.

"It was the smallest of any that had been guarded, and this made me
think I was right. When I crawled in I found feeling cautiously about,
that two Roman soldiers were asleep on the ground and that you were
lying between them. Then I went to the entrance. The sentry was standing
with his back to it. I struck a blow on his neck from behind, and he
died without knowing he was hurt. I caught him as I struck and lowered
him gently down, for the crash of his arms as he fell would have roused
everyone near. After that it was easy to stab the two guards sleeping by
you, and then I woke you."

"You have saved my life, Nessus, and I shall never forget it," Malchus
said gratefully.

"My life is my lord's," the Arab replied simply. "Glad am I indeed that
I have been able to do you a service."

Just as he spoke they saw through the bushes a party of Roman horse
ride at a gallop over the brow between them and the camp. They halted,
however, on passing the crest, and an officer with t