e to make himself heard, that they
must at all costs make a dash to get away, and he himself had laid his
hand on their driver's shoulder to bid him drive on, when he found that
he was too late. For all at once he discovered that the battle was
raging close at hand, right in front of the horses' heads, and directly
after as they were swung round in the opposite direction for the
occupants of the chariot to seek safety, there was a rush of armed men.
These came into contact with another body, and so it was that whichever
way they turned there was the wild turmoil and fury of the fight going
on, while as far as Marcus could make out, one minute the Roman soldiers
were driving the barbarians back and carrying all before them, but only
to be overwhelmed in turn by some tremendous wave of the enemy in the
shape of reinforcements, which raged and swirled round the more
disciplined men, carrying them back by sheer weight of numbers in the
direction from which they had come.

Both Marcus and Serge seemed to bear a charmed life. They made no
attempt to use their weapons, and their position in the car had
something to do with their escape from injury as they held on to the
front, to be borne here and there by their frantic horses, while
naturally enough Roman and Gaul, where they were crowded together in
contention, yielded and made way for the plunging and rearing steeds,
whose hoofs seemed to them for the time being more dangerous than the
weapons of a foe.

How long all this lasted Marcus never knew.

It was enough for his brain to take in the wild horrors of the fierce
fight and its many changes till all at once in the dim light shed by the
stars the chariot horses had borne him and Serge partly out of the
fierce crowds of fighting men.

Encounters were taking place all around in single combat, and charges
and counter charges made by little parties who were separated from the
main body crowded together in the central portions of the battlefield;
and snatching at the opportunity, Serge, spear in hand, leaned over to
Marcus and, pointing forward to an opening in front, shouted to him to
bid their driver make for that gap in the human wall.

Marcus planted his spear shaft sharply down upon the floor of the
chariot to steady himself, as he leaned down to the driver to utter his
commands, and the next minute the fiery little steeds were tearing away
at full gallop along the open space, as if in their wild excitement they
w