, and the praetor himself soon appeared upon the spot. The
officer acquainted him with the name and rank of the leader of the
Carthaginian party, and said that there were with him two officers of
noble families of the Carthaginians.

"That is well," the praetor said, "it is a piece of good fortune. The
Carthaginians have so many of our officers in their hands, that it is
well to have some whom we may exchange for them. Let them be landed."

As they left the ship the Carthaginians laid down their arms and armour.
By this time a large number of the Roman garrison, among whom the
news had rapidly spread, were assembled at the port. Many of the
young soldiers had never yet seen a Carthaginian, and they looked
with curiosity and interest at the men who had inflicted such terrible
defeats upon the armies of the Romans. They were fine specimens of
Hannibal's force, for the general had allowed Malchus to choose his own
officers and men, and, knowing that strength, agility, and endurance
would be needed for a campaign in so mountainous a country as Sardinia,
he had picked both officers and men with great care.

His second in command was his friend Trebon, who had long since obtained
a separate command, but who, on hearing from Malchus of the expedition
on which he was bound, had volunteered to accompany him. The men were
all Africans accustomed to desert fighting and trained in warfare in
Spain. The Romans, good judges of physical strength, could not repress
a murmur of admiration at the sight of these sinewy figures. Less
heavy than themselves, there was about them a spring and an elasticity
resembling that of the tiger. Long use had hardened their muscles until
they stood up like cords through their tawny skin, most of them bore
numerous scars of wounds received in battle, and the Romans, as they
viewed them, acknowledged to themselves what formidable opponents these
men would be.

A strong guard formed up on either side of the captives, and they were
marched through the town to the citadel on the upper part of the rock.
Here a large chamber, opening on to the courtyard, was assigned to the
officers, while the men, who were viewed in the light of slaves, were at
once set to work to carry stores up to the citadel from a ship which had
arrived just as the storm broke.

A fortnight later a vessel arrived from Rome with a message from
the senate that they would not exchange prisoners, and that the
Carthaginians were at once t