Nay, nor to-morrow night either, boy."

"And the fight begun!" cried Marcus. "Why, before we can get to my
father and Caius Julius our little force will be destroyed."

"Bah! Don't you get setting up for a prophet like that. Do you think
our men are going to sit down and let themselves be swallowed up without
striking a blow? What are you thinking of, boy? Isn't our general
marching his men into the narrow gorge again where he will be safely
walled in, with only a little front to defend? You let him alone. He
will stop and turn as soon as he has found a spot he likes, one that he
can easily hold; and there he'll be with his rear open for men to go
over the pass and forage for food. He knows what he's about, and we
know what we have got to do."

"Yes," said Marcus, with a sigh; "we know, but--"

"But you needn't watch the going on of the fight, boy, for at this
distance it's nearly all guess work and little see, and here as far as I
can make out no one can notice us if we begin to move, so now's the time
to start."

"Ah!" cried Marcus, triumphantly, as he turned to the horse's head on
his side.

Serge made for the other, and the great dog reared himself up with his
paws upon the front of the chariot and his jaws parted, to send forth
one of his deep, barking volleys.

But at a cry from Marcus he sank down as if abashed, and the only sounds
that were heard above the deep, low hum of the trampling army of
barbarians, were the soft rattling of the chariot wheels, and the beat
of the horses' hoofs upon the stony ground, as they began cautiously to
make for the end of the amphitheatre and its labyrinth of rocks.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

FIRST CHECK.

It was a glorious change from the terrible inactivity of waiting to
energetic action, and the feeling was shared by all.

Lupe leaped out of the chariot, the driver involuntarily shook the reins
to urge the ponies forward forgetful of the fact that they were held on
either side, and the beautiful little animals tried to plunge onward,
but feeling the check upon their bits, snorted and began to rear while
both Marcus and Serge had to make a struggle to control the desire
within their breasts which urged them to break forward into a run.

But the knowledge of the need of caution prevailed, and glancing to
right and left in search of watching enemies, they had the satisfaction
of seeing the chaos of rocks rising above their heads and quite
concealing them, t