The meal was speedily served, and then for an hour Malchus sat with his mother and sisters, giving them a history of the expedition.  There was a little playful grumbling on the part of his sisters when he told them that he was going to return to the Syssite to hear what had been determined by the conclave.

“Surely you can wait until our father returns here, Malchus,” Thyra, the elder, said.

“Yes; but I may be useful,” Malchus replied.  “There will be lots to be done, and we shall all do our utmost.”

“Listen to him, mother,” Anna, the younger sister, said, clapping her hands; “this comes of slaying lions and combating with the Atarantes; do not let us hinder him; beg the slaves to bring round a horse instantly.  Carthage totters, let Malchus fly to its support.  What part are you thinking of taking, my brother, do you mean to harangue the people, or to urge the galley slaves to revolt, or to lead the troops against the council?”

The two girls burst into a peal of merry laughter, in which Malchus, although colouring a little, joined heartily.

“You are too bad, Anna; what I want is, of course, to hear what has been done, and to join in the excitement, and really I am not such a boy as you girls think me, just because you happen to be two or three years older than I am.  You persist in regarding me as a child; father doesn’t do so, and I can tell you I may be more good than you think.”

“Well, go along, Malchus, do not let us keep you, and don’t get into mischief and remember, my boy,” his mother added, “that Carthage is a place where it is well that no one should make more enemies than he can help.  A secret foe in the council or among the judges is enough to ruin the strongest.  You know how many have been crucified or pressed to death without a shadow of pretext, save that they had foes.  I would not see you other than your father’s son; you will belong, of course, to the Barcine party, but there is no occasion to draw enmity and hate upon yourself before you are in a position to do real service to the cause.  And now ride off with you; I know all our words are falling on deaf ears, and that willful lads will go their own way.”

A few minutes later and Malchus was on his way back to the club.  On his arrival there he found that the sitting of the inner council was not yet finished.  The building was thronged with the adherents of the party waiting to ascertain what course was determined upon.  He presently came across Adherbal and Giscon.  The former, as usual, was gay, light hearted, and disposed to view matters in a humorous light; Giscon was stern and moody.