here as soon as he could get away."

"It is terrible news indeed, Malchus. The loss is a grievous blow
to Carthage, but especially to us who are his near kinsfolk; but
for the moment let us set it aside and talk of your doings. How
the sun has bronzed your face, child! You seem to have grown taller
and stouter since you have been away.

"Yes," one of the sisters laughed, "the child is growing up, mother;
you will have to choose another name for him."

"I think it is about time," Malchus said, joining in the laugh,
"considering that I have killed a lion and have taken part in a
desperate hand-to-hand fight with the wild Atarantes. I think even
my mother must own that l am attaining the dignity of youth."

"I wonder your father let you take part in such strife," the mother
said anxiously; "he promised me that he would, as far as possible,
keep you out of danger."

"Why, mother," Malchus said indignantly, "you don't suppose that
my father was going to coddle me as he might do one of the girls
here. You know he has promised that I shall soon enter the Carthaginian
guard, and fight in the next campaign. I think it has been very
hard on me not to have had a chance of distinguishing myself as
my cousin Hannibal did when he was no older than I am."

"Poor boy," his sister laughed, "he has indeed been unfortunate.
Who can say but that if he had only had opportunities he would
have been a general by this time, and that Rome would have been