ll the members to assemble early at the club.

At nine o'clock next morning the Syssite was crowded, the doors were
closed, and the determination of the council was announced to the
members, each of whom was ordered to hurry off to set the train in
motion for a popular outbreak for eleven o'clock. It was not until an
hour later that the news that the Barcine party intended to forestall
them reached Hanno's headquarters. Then the most vigourous efforts
were made to get together their forces, but it was too late. At eleven
o'clock crowds of men from all the working portions of the town
were seen making their way towards the forum, shouting as they went,
"Hannibal for general!" "Down with Hanno and the tax gatherers!"

Conspicuous among them were the sailors and fishermen from the port,
armed with oars, and the gang of stevedores with heavy clubs. Hanno and
a large number of his party hurried down to the spot and tried to pacify
the crowd, but the yells of execration were so loud and continuous that
they were forced to leave the forum. The leaders of the Barcine party
now appeared on the scene, and their most popular orator ascended the
rostrum. When the news spread among the crowd that he was a friend of
Hannibal and an opponent of Hanno, the tumult was stayed in order that
all might hear his words.

"My friends," he said, "I am glad to see that Carthage is still true to
herself, and that you resent the attempt made by a faction to remove the
general of the army's choice, the son of the great Hamilcar Barca. To
him and to Hasdrubal, his son-in-law, you owe the conquest of Spain, you
owe the wealth which has of late years poured into Carthage, you owe the
trade which is already doing so much to mitigate your condition. What
have Hanno and his friends done that you should listen to him? It is
their incapacity which has lost Carthage so many of its possessions. It
is their greed and corruption which place such burdens on your backs.
They claim that they are generous. It is easy to be generous with the
money of which they have plundered you; but let them know your will, and
they must bend before it. Tell them that you will have Hannibal and none
other as the general of your armies, and Spain is secure, and year by
year your commerce with that country will increase and flourish."

A roar of assent arose from the crowd. At the same instant a tumult was
heard at the lower entrance to the forum, and the head of a dense body
of