Roman Salute, that ends with a hollow clang of the shield coming into its
place between the shoulders.

'Hai!' said Puck. 'That sets one thinking!'

'We went out fully armed,' said Parnesius, sitting down; 'but as soon as
the road entered the Great Forest, my men expected the pack-horses to hang
their shields on. "No!" I said; "you can dress like women in Anderida, but
while you're with me you will carry your own weapons and armour."

'"But it's hot," said one of them, "and we haven't a doctor. Suppose we
get sunstroke, or a fever?"

'"Then die," I said, "and a good riddance to Rome! Up shield--up spears,
and tighten your foot-wear!"

'"Don't think yourself Emperor of Britain already," a fellow shouted. I
knocked him over with the butt of my spear, and explained to these
Roman-born Romans that, if there were any further trouble, we should go on
with one man short. And, by the Light of the Sun, I meant it too! My raw
Gauls at Clausentum had never treated me so.

'Then, quietly as a cloud, Maximus rode out of the fern (my Father behind
him), and reined up across the road. He wore the Purple, as though he were
already Emperor; his leggings were of white buckskin laced with gold.

'My men dropped like--like partridges.

'He said nothing for some time, only looked, with his eyes puckered. Then
he crooked his forefinger, and my men walked--crawled, I mean--to one side.

'"Stand in the sun, children," he said, and they formed up on the hard
road.

'"What would you have done?" he said to me, "If I had not been here?"

'"I should have killed that man," I answered.

'"Kill him now," he said. "He will not move a limb."

'"No," I said. "You've taken my men out of my command. I should only be
your butcher if I killed him now." Do you see what I meant?' Parnesius
turned to Dan.

'Yes,' said Dan. 'It wouldn't have been fair, somehow.'

'That was what I thought,' said Parnesius. 'But Maximus frowned. "You'll
never be an Emperor," he said. "Not even a General will you be."

'I was silent, but my Father seemed pleased.

'"I came here to see the last of you," he said.

'"You have seen it," said Maximus. "I shall never need your son any more.
He will live and he will die an officer of a Legion--and he might have been
Prefect of one of my Provinces. Now eat and drink with us," he said. "Your
men will wait till you have finished."

'My miserable thirty stood like wine-skins glistening in the hot sun, and
Maximus led u