A Captive of the Roman Eagles Part 21

"Who had a piece missing from his mantle?"

"No one. But one had a new piece of cloth sewed into the hem--the color did not match, it had not yet been faded by the sun exactly the size of that sc.r.a.p."

"An officer?"

"Yes."

"It was he: it was Hercula.n.u.s."

"But my lord, you saw the hors.e.m.e.n only from the front."

"Yet I know it. Be watchful. Guard the little one."

CHAPTER x.x.xI.

Adalo had retraced the road to the Holy Mountain with a heavy heart, and with deep pain he made his report in the Duke's tent at daybreak.

"I have gained nothing," were his closing words, "seen nothing of the camp, and not a sign of--of her. What is to be done?"

"Wait," replied the Duke, stroking his long beard and half closing his eye.

"Wait! it is easy for you to say that."

"Harder than for you, who still have thrice as many years before you as I."

"But Bissula! Surely I have told you that she does not belong to the old man, her friend. When will you lead us to the a.s.sault?"

"When it is time."

"When will it at last be time?"

"Not before the moon has vanished from the sky."

"Have the wise women read that to you in the runes of destiny?" asked Adalo wrathfully.

"I do not consult old women, when I am to fight; but neither will I risk the victory for young ones. The moon must not shine; the night must be dark. And another thing: the torrents of rain were a great help, they kept the Romans in their camp, shut them out of the marshes and forests. But now everything must get dry again, that it may burn merrily. The G.o.d of wishes has already sent the right wind. Only have patience a short time. Something else, too, must first be accomplished."

"Then at least let me try to inform her by a secret messenger how she can surely escape."

"No, by my wrath! Before we storm, I will show you why it is impossible for her to escape by the way of which you are thinking. It would lead her into the very midst of the guards outside the camp and betray everything to them. But, did you not meet Zercho on the way back?"

"No; but my companions told me. So you sent him?"

"Sent him? No; he went without my orders. But hark--voices--there he is, and some one with him."

Zercho and Sippilo came hurrying into the tent. The young n.o.ble was amazed to see his fair-haired brother in such a disguise.

"Boy, what have you dared to do? You went with him as a spy?" he cried wrathfully. "How you look!"

"Like an elf of darkness; but the soot rubs off easily. See!" Laughing merrily, he threw his arms around Adalo's neck and pressed his curly black head against his brother's cheek.

"Don't scold him until you know all--if you can do it then," pleaded Zercho.

"Make your report," the Duke commanded.

"My lord, much--almost all is well! Yet not everything. Unfortunately I could not get into the camp. But Bruna did," he added, grinning, as he turned to Adalo, "and she'll find the little mistress."

"Can the she-bear fly out again and bring us information about the camp?" said Hariowald angrily.

"Not she, but perhaps this paper can," replied Sippilo, laughing, as he drew a roll of papyrus from his breast. "While Zercho and Bruna were making the sentries laugh and stare, I succeeded, unnoticed, in reaching the ditch, slipped down, and climbed part way up the wall on the opposite side, I dared not risk going to the top, some one would have seen me there. I'm as slender and supple as an eel. Part of the earth in the wall had been washed away by the rain between the palisades in many places; I squeezed into one and got my head and one arm through, but could go no farther, my shoulders were too broad.

Then for a while I was very uncomfortable; I couldn't move forward and did not want to go back without having seen something; besides, the cramping hurt. Suddenly I heard voices, footsteps, and saw hurrying toward me along the inner path of the camp, close to the wall--Bissula."

Adalo uttered a cry of joy, and the Duke, too, looked at the bold lad with surprise and pleasure.

"Several paces behind her a fat, very fat man came waddling along. She didn't see me, for she was looking straight in front of her, and her face was not merry as usual, but very sorrowful. I risked the chance that the panting fellow would hear me. But I didn't trust myself to call with a human voice; I began the warbling notes of the chaffinch.

Often and often we had practised together to try which could imitate it the more closely; but I did better and lured the little male bird in a fit of furious jealousy to my hiding-place among the leaves. Bissula started, looked toward the gap in the palisades where the bird--so late in the season--was singing, saw and instantly recognized me; she could probably see only my eyes, not my disfiguring sooty hair. Stooping as if to look for the finch, she whispered: 'Save me quickly.'"

An expression of delight flashed over Adalo's handsome face. "She does not love him; she wants to return!" his heart cried exultingly. Sippilo noticed it and guessed the cause of his joy. His young face grew very grave as he went on: "But alas, she added: 'Terrible danger, the greatest, threatens me!'"

Adalo groaned and clutched the nearest tent pole to support himself: his brain was reeling.

"Go on," said the Duke.

"She could say no more, for the fat man was now close behind her: I saw some long yellowish-white thing sticking out of the front of his mantle.

"'This is unbearable!' she cried furiously, turning upon him. 'Are you my shadow, slave? Why do you follow at my heels? Leave me!'

"'By command of my lord the Tribune.'

"'Indeed?' she cried, half mischievously, half angrily. 'Then--by command of your lord, the Tribune, you shall run and sweat well. Can you catch the roe of the lake forest?'

"And she darted off as swiftly as the merlin shoots down the mountain stream. The fat man, panting and swearing, followed. At the end of the road along the wall she turned, glided nimbly past the breathless slave, and again ran toward me: she probably wanted to tell me something, but I understood only the one word, 'hasten!'

"Then she was gone; for her companion, pursuing her, now approached me.

When directly opposite he raised his cloak, which was hanging around his legs, and the yellowish-white thing dropped from his breast. He puffed along, and it rolled close to the two posts in the sides of my hole. I hastily s.n.a.t.c.hed it. I wanted to wait for Bissula to pa.s.s again, but I saw several splendidly armed Romans stop her, and all went into the inner camp. Then I drew myself backward from between the posts (it wasn't easy; a little skin and hair were left sticking there in remembrance of Sippilo), slid down the wall, climbed the other side of the ditch, entered the bushes, crept back to my former place, and came just as Zercho gave the she-bear to the guards and left the camp."

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

The Duke had already taken the roll of papyrus from the boy's hand and spread it open on the table. His eye sparkled with the joy of victory.

"What do I read here? 'Four squadrons of mailed hors.e.m.e.n at the Porta Dec.u.mana, all the baggage also piled at the Porta Dec.u.mana.

"'The wall eight feet high.