"Dismount, fellows! Here's for a feast this night and an offering to Mars to-morrow!" The ten in brazen armor threw themselves from their horses with the enthusiasm of boys and spread a panic of whooping and of waving arms about the startled flock.

The young shepherd, too long a fugitive from the encroachments of this same army to misunderstand the nature of the attack, ran into the thick of the shouting Romans.

His valiant dog with exposed teeth flew straight at the nearest legionary.
"Cerberus!" the soldier howled, dodging.

"Your pike, Paulus! Quick! By Hector, it is a wolf!" But the quickest soldier would not have been quick enough to elude the enraged beast had not the shepherd with a spring and a warning cry seized his dog by the ears and stopped him mid-bound.
"Down, Urge!" he cried.

"Take away your men!" he shouted to the decurion.