slip through the gate, and go up inside the hedge, dart round thecorner and seize Ted's camp. Quick! And mind, if they're all there, ofcourse you're not to fight, but come back. Now--quick."
Scipio Cecil jumped into the hollow way followed by his five soldiers,and stooping so as to be hidden by the bank, ran towards the gate in thehazel hedge. They watched him till the cohort had got through the gate.
"Now what shall we do?" said Mark Antony.
"How can I tell what to do when Pompey isn't anywhere?" said Bevis, in arage.
"Put me up a tree," said Charlie, "perhaps I could see."
"You've no business to speak," said Bevis; but he used the idea, andtold two of them to "bunt" (shove) Charlie up one of the ash-trees tillhe could grasp a branch. Then Charlie, agile as a squirrel, was up in aminute.
"There's no one in their camp," he shouted down. "Cecil's rushing onit. Pompey, O! I can see him."
"Where?"
"There by the copse," pointing to the left and partly behind them.
"Which way is he going?" asked Bevis.
"That way,"--to the left.
"Our camp," said Mark.
"That's it," said Bevis. "Come down, quick. Turn to the left," (to thearmy). "No, stop. Charlie, how many are there with Pompey?"
"Six, ten--oh, I can't count: I believe it's all. I can't see anyanywhere else."
"Quick!" shouted Bevis, turning his legions to the left. "Quick march!Run!"
Volume One, Chapter XVI.
THE BATTLE OF PHARSALIA.
They left Charlie to get down how he could, and started at a sharp paceto meet and intercept Pompey. Now, if Pompey had continued his coursebehind the hedge all the way, he must have got to Caesar's camp first;as Caesar could not crush through the hedge. But when Pompey came tothe gate, from which the waggon track issued into the field, he saw thathe could make a short cut thence to the gap by Caesar's camp, instead ofmarching round the irregular curve of the hedge. Caesar, though runningfast to meet him, was at that moment passing a depression in the ground,and was out of sight. Pompey seized so favourable an opportunity, camethrough the gate, and ordering "Quick march!" ran towards the gap. WhenCaesar came up out of the depression he saw Pompey's whole army runningwith their backs almost turned away from him towards the gap by thecamp. They seemed to flee, and Caesar's legions beholding theirenemies' backs, raised a shout. Pompey heard, and looking round, sawCaesar charging towards his rear. He halted and faced about, and at thesame time saw that his own camp was in Caesar's possession; for therewas an eagle at the gate there, and his baggage was being pitched over.Nothing daunted, Pompey ordered his soldiers to advance, and pushed themwith his own hands into line, placing Crassus and Varro, one at eitherend.
As he came running, Caesar saw that the whole of Pompey's army wasbefore them, while he had but two-thirds of his, and regretted now thathe had so hastily detached Scipio's cohort. But waving his sword, heran at the head of his men, keeping them in column. They were but ahundred yards apart, when Pompey faced about, and so short a distancewas rapidly traversed.
Caesar's sword was the first to descend with a crash upon an enemy'sweapon, but Antony was hardly a second later, and before they could liftto strike again, the legion behind, with a shout, pushed them by itsimpetus right through Pompey's line.
When Caesar Bevis stopped running, and looked round, there was a breakin the enemy's army, which was divided into two parts. Bevis instantlymade at the part on his left (where Phil Varro commanded), thinking,instinctively, to crush this half with all his soldiers. But as theydid not know what his object was, for he had no time even to give anorder, only four or five followed him. The rest paused and faced ValCrassus; and these Ted Pompey and six or seven of his men at onceattacked.
Bevis met Phil Varro, and crossed swords with him. Clatter! crash!snap! thump! bang! They slashed and warded: Bevis's shoulder was stungwith a sharp blow. He struck back, and his sword sliding down Varro's,broke the cross-piece, and rapped his fingers smartly. Before Varrocould hit again, two others, fighting, stumbled across and interruptedthe combat.
"Keep together! Keep together!" shouted Phil Varro. "Ted--Pompey,Pompey! Keep together!"
Slash! swish! crash! thump! "Hit him! Now then! He's down! Hurrah!"Crash! Crack--a sword split and flew in splinters.
"Follow Bevis!" shouted Mark, "Stick to Bevis! Fred! Bill! Quick!"He had privately arranged with these two, Fred and Bill, who were thebiggest on their side, that all three should keep close to Bevis andform a guard. Mark was very shrewd, and he guessed that Ted Pompey,being so much stronger and well-supported with stout soldiers, wouldmake every effort to seize Caesar, who was slightly built, and bind himprisoner. He did not tell Bevis that he had arranged this, for Beviswas a stickler for his imperial authority, and if Mark had told him,would be quite likely to countermand it.
Whirling his sword with terrible fury, Caesar Bevis had cut his waythrough all between. Slight as he was, the intense energy within himcarried him through the ranks. He struck a sword from one; overthrewanother rushing against him; sent a third on his knees, and reachingPhil, hit him on the arm so heavy a blow that, for a moment, he couldnot use his weapon, but gave way and got behind his men.
"Hurrah!" shouted Mark. "Follow Bevis! Stick to Bevis!"
"Here I am," said Bill, the young giant hitting at Varro.
"So am I," said Fred, the other giant, and slashing Varro on the side.Varro turned aside to defend himself, when Mark Antony rushed at andoverturned him thump on the sward.
"Hurrah! Down they go!" Such a tremendous shout arose in anotherdirection, that Caesar Bevis, Mark, and the rest, turned fresh fromtheir own victory to see their companions thrashed.
"Over with them!"
Ted Pompey, Val Crassus, and the other half of the divided line hadattacked the remainder of the legion, which paused, and did not followCaesar. Separated from Bevis, they fought well, and struggled hard toregain him; and, while they could keep their assailants atsword's-length, maintained the battle. But Varro's shout, "Keeptogether! Keep together! Pompey! Keep together!" reminded Ted of whatPhil Varro had taught him, and, signing to Crassus and his men to do thesame, he crossed his arms, held his head low, and, with Crassus and therest, charged, like bulls with eyes closed, disregarding the savagechops and blows he received. The manoeuvre was perfectly successful;their weight sent them right over Caesar's men, who rolled on the groundin all directions.
"There!" said Mark, "what did I tell you?"
"Come on!" shouted Caesar Bevis, and he ran to assist the fallen. Hefell on Crassus, who chanced to be nearest, with such violence that Valgave way, when Bevis left him to attack Ted. Ted Pompey, nothing loth,lifted his sword and stepped to meet him.
"Bill! Fred!" shouted Mark; and these three, hustling before CaesarBevis, charged under Pompey's sword, for he could not hit three ways atonce; and, thump, he measured his length on the grass.
"Cords!--Ropes!" shouted Mark. "Bill--the rope. Hold him down, Fred!O! You awful stupe! O!"
He stood stock-still, mouth agape; for Bevis, pushing Fred aside as hewas going to kneel on Ted as men kneel on a fallen horse's head, seizedTed by the arm and helped him up.
"Three to one's not fair," he said. "Ted, get your sword and fight_Me_."
Ted looked round for his sword, which had rolled a yard or two. At thesame moment Varro, having got on his feet again, rushed up and struckCaesar a sharp blow on his left arm. He turned, Varro struck again, butFred guarded it off on his sword. Three soldiers, with Varro,surrounded Fred and Bevis, and, for the moment, they could do nothingbut fence off the blows. Ted Pompey having found his sword, ran to aidVarro, when Mark hit him: he turned to strike at Mark, but a body ofsoldiers, with George and Tim at their head, rushed by, fighting withothers, and bore Mark and Ted before them bodily. In a second all wasconfusion. On both sides the leaders were separated from their troops,the battle spread out, covering forty yards or more, and twentyindivi
dual combats raged at once. All the green declivity was coveredwith scattered parties, and no one knew which had the better.
"Keep together! Keep together!" shouted Varro, as he struck and rushedto and fro. "I tell you, keep together! Ted! Ted! Pompey! Keeptogether!"
Swish! slash! clatter! thump!
"Hurrah!"
"He's down!"
"Quick!"
"You've got it!"
"Take that!" Slash! But the slain arose again and renewed the fight.
Shrewd Mark Antony having knocked his man over, paused
Bevis: The Story of a Boy Page 31