CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
THE NEW RECRUIT.
The dog had been lying for hours watching the sleepers, who had lainperfectly unconscious of the presence of such a sentry and guardian,while he had crouched there with his muzzle almost touching Marcus'breast, pricking up his ears at the slightest sound made by somenocturnal food-seeking creature, and uttering a low sigh of content ashe settled himself down again.
Several times over he had heard some sound which he could notunderstand, and upon these occasions he sprang up, smothering the lowgrowl that tried for exit, and seeming to understand the necessity forcaution, he began to reconnoitre in the direction from which thesuspicious noise had come.
Had anybody been there to watch the dog, what they had seen would haveexcited wonder at the amount of reason that the animal displayed; notthat Lupe, big wolf-hound, one of the kind kept by the peasantry in thefar-back past for the protection of their flocks, was anythingexceptional, for plenty of dogs at the present time are ready to displayan instinct that is almost human.
Point out some very human act, and there are plenty who will tell youeither that it is the result of teaching, or that it has come naturallyfrom the dog's long continued intercourse with man. One ventures tothink that it is something more than teaching that makes a shut-out dogwait till he sees what he considers to be a suitable stranger whom hehas never seen before, and then trot up to him and begin to gambol andlead him on till the gate or door is reached, stopping short then andsaying as plainly as a dog can speak in barks--not the most expressivelanguage in the world--Open it and let me in.
Lupe was evidently a dog that could reason in his way, and attributingtwo of these interruptions of the night to the presence of wolves thathad come prowling down from the hills, he set off cautiously, with thethick, dense hair bristling up about his neck, his armour against hisdeadly enemy's teeth, and his black gums retiring to display histrap-like jaws full of glistening ivory teeth. And all the time, inspite of his efforts, there was a low, deep sound like young thunderrumbling somewhere in his chest.
But in each case, before he had gone far, Lupe's reason told him thathis natural enemies did not come prowling down from the mountains duringthe soft summer nights, but waited till their hunger was sharpened bythe frosts of winter, and that he was over-anxious regarding the safetyof those he had come so far to find, judging rightly that the sounds hehad heard and magnified were only caused by some innocent little animalwhich did not smell in the least like a wolf. So he trotted slowlyback, making sounds suggestive of mutterings against his own stupidity,and dropped quietly down once more to watch.
"Why, Serge," cried Marcus, "how could that dog manage to find us allthis distance from home?"
"I dunno," said the old soldier, stooping down to caress thesavage-looking beast in his customary way, which was to bang him heavilyon both shoulders with his great, horny hand, the blows given being suchas would have made an ordinary dog howl; but their effect upon Lupe wasto make him half close his eyes, open his wide jaws, and loll out hislong, lambent tongue, which curled up at the end; and, as it quivered inthe fresh morning light, he rolled over upon his back and began pattingplayfully at Serge's hand.
"Don't knock him about like that, Serge," cried Marcus.
"Knock him about?" cried the old soldier. "Why, he likes it; it loosenshis skin and makes it fit easy, and knocks out the dust. How did hemanage to find his way here? Ask him. I dunno. I left him at home,yelping about and uneasy like, looking as if he'd like to go at thegeneral and tear his toga off his back."
"I left him," cried Marcus, "hunting all over the place to find you. Hecame twice over into my room, whining and asking me where you were."
"Did he?" cried Serge. "Good old dog!" And he gave the animal a fewmore of his tender caresses, with the result that the dog wriggledhimself along snake-like fashion upon his spine, and then made a playfuldab at his friend's hand.
"I found him at last," continued Marcus, "in the press-house, and when Icame away I shut him up."
"What, to starve?"
"No, no; I thought he would howl till someone came and let him out; butI didn't want him to follow me. Someone must have let him out in themorning."
"Oh, I don't know," said Serge, who began replacing his armour. "He'dhave got out somehow, through the window or roof."
"He couldn't," cried Marcus.
"Think not? Then he'd have scratched a way for himself under the door."
"Well, but then?"
"Oh, then--he'd have stood and smelt about till he'd got hold of ourscent, and then come on."
"What, all this way and all this time? The scent couldn't have lain solong."
"It never seems to me that there's any scent at all," said Serge, "butold Lupe there somehow seems to do it. He _is_ a dog, and no mistake.Why, he's lost himself time after time going after the wolves when Ihave been out hunting, and it has seemed to me that I should never findhim again. Why, you know, he's been away sometimes for days, but he'salways found his way back. Well, now then, give yourself your orders toget ready to march, and let's get on to Rome."
"Yes, of course," cried Marcus.
"But how do you feel, lad? You seemed ready to knock up last night,tired out."
"Did I?" cried Marcus, flushing slightly.
"Did yer? Why, you seemed sore all over, whining about your armour andyour helmet."
"Oh, nonsense!" cried the boy, as he hastily followed his companion'slead, handily buckling and securing his defensive armour the while. "Wehad had a very long march, and it was as hot as could be. I feel quitefresh this morning."
"Ready for anything, eh? Well, what about this chap?"
"Lupe?"
"Yes; we don't want him. The general won't want him to join."
"No-o," said Marcus, thoughtfully, as he stooped to pat the dog's head,a favour which Lupe responded to by leaning himself as hard as he couldagainst his young master's legs. "I should like to have him with us,Serge."
"So should I, boy, if it comes to that. He'd have been splendid withus, and saved us scouting when those rough uns were hanging round. Why,if I had had him with me when those six came on they would have been noworse than three, and I shouldn't have wanted you."
"Yes," said Marcus, thoughtfully, "I should like to keep him with us,but I'm afraid we shall have to send him away."
"Send him away!" cried Serge. "You may try to send, but he won't go.We can't take him with us," continued the man, drily, "and it looks tome as if we shall have to make an end of him and hang him on the nearesttree."
"What!" cried Marcus with a look of horror. "You wouldn't be such abrute?"
"No," said Serge, slowly, "I suppose I wouldn't; but what are we to do?The first captain that we speak to when we get to the army and ask himto let us join his lot will shake his head at us if we bring a dog."
"Yes, I suppose so," said Marcus, thoughtfully.
"But look here, we wouldn't bring him. We didn't bring him. He came.The country's free for all, and if he chooses to follow us we are not toblame."
"Well, that's right. Are you nearly ready?"
"Yes," said Marcus, taking his helmet from where it rested in the forkof a young tree, and lowering it slowly upon his head.
"Does it hurt?" said Serge.
"Oh no, it feels quite comfortable now. Why?"
"Because you put it on as if it were red hot. But give the word`forward,' captain, and let's march. The first farm or house we come towe must halt and forage. My wallet's empty, and we want something verymuch better than water for our next meal."
"Forward, then!" cried Marcus, and the dog responded with a volley ofhis deep barking, and bounded off before them, old Serge smiling grimlythe while.
"Got his nose straight for Rome," he said, with a laugh. "Why, if I wasa general, Master Marcus, and going to lead our armies against thebarbarians as won't let us alone but keep on attacking and wanting tocome to plunder the riches of the place, and carry the Ro
man people offas slaves, do you know what I'd do?"
"Beat them and drive them back, and make them slaves instead," repliedMarcus.
"Ah, but besides that, my lad, I'd get together an army of dogs like ourLupe, and set them to work to tear 'em down and chase 'em away."
"Oh, barbarous!" cried Marcus, laughing.
"Barbarous! Aren't they barbarians? Why, I don't believe you couldmanage it in a better way."
Marcus: the Young Centurion Page 16
