Still ascending the mountain the band halted in a forest. Wood was soon collected and a fire lighted. The contents of one of the bags was made into dough at a stream hard by, divided into cakes and placed on red hot ashes, while the meat was cut up and hung over the fire. "We have forgotten drinking horns," Beric said, "but your steel cap, Porus, will serve us for a drinking cup for today." After a hearty meal they lay down for some hours to sleep, and then resumed their march. They were getting well into the heart of the mountains when a figure suddenly appeared on a crag above them. "Who are you?" he shouted, "and what do you here in the mountains?" "We are fugitives from the tyranny of Rome," Beric replied. "We mean harm to no man, but those who would meddle with us are likely to regret it." "You swear that you are fugitives," the man called back. "I swear," Beric said, holding up his hand. The man turned round and spoke to someone behind him, and a moment later a party of fifteen men appeared on the crag and began to descend into the ravine up which Beric's band were making their way. "It is the Britons," the leader exclaimed as he neared them. "Why, Beric, is it you, tired already of the dignities of Rome? How fares it with you, Boduoc?" Beric recognized at once a Gaul, one of the gladiators of Scopus, who had some months before fled from the ludus. In a minute the two bands met. Most of the newcomers were Gauls, and, like their leader, escaped gladiators, and as Beric's name was well known to all they saluted him with acclamations. Both parties were pleased at the meeting, for, akin by race and speaking dialects of the same language, they regarded each other as natural allies. "The life of an outlaw will be a change to you after Nero's palace, Beric," Gatho, their leader, said. "A pleasant change," Beric replied. "I have no taste for gilded chains. How do you fare here, Gatho?" "There are plenty of wild boars among the mountains, and we can always get a goat when they are lacking. There are plenty of them wild all over the hills, escaped captives like ourselves. As for wine and flour, we have occasionally to make a raid on the villages." "I do not propose to do that," Beric said; "I have money to buy what we require; and if we set the villagers against us, sooner or later they will lead the troops after us up the mountains." "I would gladly do that too, but the means are lacking. We owe the peasants no ill will, but one must live, you know." "Have you any place you make your headquarters?" "An hour's march from hence; I will lead you to it."