Marcus: the Young Centurion Part 29

"See with your ears, boy, as I do," growled Serge. "This is the first bit of real work I have been in for many a year, but it's all going right. We have got a captain over us who knows what he is about.

There! What did I say? Hear that?"

It was plain enough to hear: a confused rush of galloping hoofs away in front beyond the line of infantry, another thunder of galloping horses panting and snorting as they rushed by in the darkness close at hand, and another body away to Marcus' left, beyond the second half of the line of chariots. This ceased directly afterwards, and, as the boy glanced back, he could see a ma.s.s of hors.e.m.e.n forming up behind the cars, while, at the same moment from away in front, there was a terrific burst of savage yells, answered by shouts of defiance and the clatter of spears and s.h.i.+elds, mingled with a confused clash as the enemy's hors.e.m.e.n charged home upon the infantry.

Marcus' ears rang with the confusion of sounds which followed--cries of agony, shouts of triumph, and the trampling of horses, and then a roar, above which rang out somewhere near at hand the shrill note of a clarion, whose effect was to make the chariot horses burst into a gallop.

"Now we are off," shouted Serge into the boy's ear. "Your spear, lad.

Throw when you get a chance; I have another ready for you. But don't waste your stroke."

Marcus heard, but he did not heed, for his heart was beating violently, his head swimming with excitement, and he felt half stunned, half maddened, as he was borne onward, his chariot about the middle of the little line so close together that, moment by moment, it seemed as if the wheels of the cars on either side must come into collision.

But the collision was not to be there, for as, excited by the yells of their drivers, the little pairs tore on, there suddenly seemed to spring up out of the darkness ahead a confused crowd of mounted men; and then there was a shock, and Marcus felt his car leap forward on its wheels, rising on one side as if to overturn, but coming down level directly and bounding oh again at the heels of his excited steeds.

He could not see to right or left, but he was conscious that there were other chariots tearing on beside him, and there was another shock, and another, mingled with yells and cries, and then they were racing on again apparently being hunted by a body of horse, and it seemed to the boy as if his and his fellow chariots were in full flight.

But just then there were the faint notes of a trumpet, and, as they tore on, the line of chariots swung round as upon a pivot and began to tear back.

And now it seemed to Marcus that the hors.e.m.e.n who had been pursuing them were taking flight in turn, and, as he realised this, the boy shouted to his driver to drive more swiftly.

"No, no!" yelled Serge, furiously. "Steady! Steady! And keep in line."

"But they will get away!" cried the boy, mad now with excitement.

"Bah! You don't understand," cried Serge. "Those are our hors.e.m.e.n."

Another trumpet brayed out and the cavalry in front of the chariots swung round to right and left, making an opening through which they pa.s.sed, slackening their speed, but careering on till Marcus made out a solid body of infantry on his right front.

A minute later the chariots had wheeled round again in the infantry's rear, and in the distance there was, dying away, the sound of hoofs.

"Well, boy, what do you think of that?" said a voice in Marcus' ear.

"I--I don't know," panted Marcus, as short of breath as if he had been running hard. "I don't think I understand."

"Ha, ha!" laughed Serge, hoa.r.s.ely. "I don't suppose you do. I don't quite myself, but I should think that was a big body of the Gallic horse who came down thinking to surprise us and to snuff us out. But they found out their mistake."

"And where are they now?" panted Marcus.

"Oh, far away. You can just hear them in the distance. They have gone off beaten, with their tails between their legs. Couldn't you feel how we cut them up?"

"Cut them up!" said Marcus.

"Yes. Don't you remember how we tore through them, crash into their midst, after they were broken from their charge upon our infantry, which stood together like a rock? It was splendid, boy, though it was almost too dark to see."

"Oh yes, I recollect something of it; but it was all wild and confused and strange. I couldn't see anything clearly."

"No more could anyone else, boy. We, who do the fighting, never see."

"Because it was so dark to-night."

"It would be just the same by day. But, hallo! Where's your spear?"

"I don't know," said Marcus, staring. "Oh, I think I remember, I threw it at a horseman, just before we went crash upon him and the chariot was nearly overturned. But there, don't ask me. It seemed to be all one wild struggle and noise, and my head's all whirling now."

"Well, what did you expect it to be?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Marcus. "But tell me, Serge, have we won?"

"Won? Of course! We Romans always do. This was through our leader's skill, training against an undisciplined horde of hors.e.m.e.n, twice our number I should think. They are in full retreat, and I expect we shall find they have left half their number upon the field."

"Hark!" cried Marcus, excitedly. "Here they come again!"

"No, boy; not at a gentle trot like that. Those you hear are the best portion of our hors.e.m.e.n who have been pursuing and scattering the enemy far and wide. Rather exciting all this, my lad, eh?"

"Exciting? Yes! Only I couldn't understand."

"But your captain could, my boy, and won the fight. Here, catch hold of this; and next time you throw your spear, pick up another, sharp."

"But oughtn't you to have given me one directly? You taught me something of the kind."

"So I did, boy; but you see I have been out of practice for many years, and forgot my duty in the hurry of the fight; but I won't do so again."

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

OLD SERGE MUSES.

"Sure you are not hurt, boy?" said Serge, as they stood waiting by the chariot for further orders, their st.u.r.dy little driver taking advantage of the opportunity to carefully attend to his steeds.

"Hurt? No!" cried Marcus. "I only feel hot and excited."

"Of course you do; but I don't suppose we shall move now for some time, till the captain's scouts that he must have sent out bring back news of the enemy, and then he will camp for the rest of the night. He ought to. I should, so as to give the men a rest ready for when the enemy attacks again in the morning."

"But you said that the enemy were beaten and driven away."

"So they were, boy, but in a war like this they will only make for the mountains and collect together again ready for a fresh attack as soon as they get the chance."

"But will they keep on doing that?" cried Marcus.

"Of course they will whenever they feel strong enough; and when they are weak they will give up."

"Oh, I don't understand it a bit," cried Marcus.

"Well, you don't want to understand it," said Serge. "That's for the generals and big captains to do. All that they want of us is to fight."

"But why is this war?" said Marcus, impatiently.

"Oh, I suppose it's because some of the tribes have been attacking and plundering and carrying off cattle and goods of the country people, till the chiefs say: This sort of thing must be stopped, and they collect an army, talk it over with the peaceful tribes who are ready to be friends, and then with their help march into the enemy's country, conquer it, and bring them to their senses. That's what we do, and used to do--bring all these nations round about under the rule of Rome. These we are fighting with now are the peoples off to the north and west. They have got all sorts of names, but I suppose they are all Gauls. But now look here: a bit ago you were so tired out with your long march that you wanted to sleep. Half the night hasn't gone, so the best thing you can do is to curl yourself up and sleep till sunrise as hard as you can."