our own. You're only a
working man. All lies."

"Every word of it," said Serge, grinning, "'cept that it's true about me
and the youngster here having to walk like our dog. But we want to get
there, brother, as soon as we can, so put us on our way to overtake the
army, or by a short track to cut it off."

"Do you mean it?" said the old soldier.

"Mean it? Of course!" cried Marcus, excitedly. "The division, mind,
that's led by Caius Julius."

"Ho, ho, my young cockerel!" cried the old man. "Then nothing will do
for you but the best?"

"Nothing," cried Marcus, eagerly. "We want to be where that great
general is that Julius went to seek. Now put us on the way."

"That's easily done," cried the old man. "There's a troop of horse that
sets off to-night to follow the rear-guard, and they'll have chariots
with them too. Go and see if you can get along with them. You've no
horses, but you might run beside the chariots, and their drivers, as
soon as they see there's stuff in you and that you want to fight, will
give you a lift from time to time."

"Run beside the chariots, eh?" said Serge, with a laugh, as he glanced
at Marcus. "Running would suit you better, my lad, than it would me.
I've got a deal more flesh to carry than you have, and running is not
good in armour with a big helmet on your head. You'd have something to
grumble at about feeling sore, or I'm mistaken. But never mind; we want
to get there, don't we?"

"Oh yes, we must get on," cried Marcus, "and if we can't run we can
walk."

"What I was going to say," cried Serge, "so put us on the right way, old
comrade," he continued, to the old cripple, "and you shan't want for
something to pay for to-morrow; eh, Marcus, my lad?"

"Oh no," cried the boy, thrusting his hand into his pouch; but Serge
clapped a hand upon his arm.

"Wait a bit, boy," he said. "Don't pay for your work until it is done."

A short time before, weary with their long tramp, the disappointment of
finding that they were quite left behind had made the future look blank
and dismal. But the old cripple's words seemed to bring the sun out
again, and he hobbled along by their side through street after street,
chattering volubly about his old experiences with the army and his
disappointment now in seeing the sturdy warriors march off, legion after
legion, leaving him behind.

"Ah," he said, "it's lucky to be you, able to go, and luckier still for
you to have met me who can l