"Friddie!" exclaimed Ginevra reproachfully. "Fridoline doesn't think that's a very nice way to treat company," laughed Miss Billy. "He's like Horatius. "'And see,' he cried, 'the welcome, Fair guests, that waits you here!'" "What's Hurashus?" asked Ginevra shyly. "Oh, he's a man in a story," responded Miss Billy. "The man who fought so bravely." Launcelot pricked up his ears at the word "fought." "Who did he fight? Tell us about him," he commanded. "Yes, please do," begged Ginevra. "As soon as I get your work started for you," promised Miss Billy. Her nimble fingers wove the bright reeds in and out for a few minutes. The children gathered near; Ginevra settled The Baby on her lap, and pulled the Other Baby close to her side. Then slowly and carefully, as if to find words suitable for her childish audience, Miss Billy began: "It happened many years ago when Rome was the biggest and the finest and the richest city in the world, that there was a brave soldier and gallant knight named Lars Porsena." "Two of 'em?" questioned Fridoline. "No, only one. Lars Porsena was the soldier and the knight too. And because he was angry at one of the Romans he decided to lead a great army against them. You know what an army is?" "Hoh! I sh'd say so! Soldiers!" replied Launcelot. "I know _you_ do," said Miss Billy, "but I thought the other children might not know." "I'll explain it to 'em," said Launcelot loftily. "Kids, you remember Buffalo Bill's men that was to the Shooting Park?" The little Canarys loudly proclaimed the excellence of their memory. "Well, them's soldiers," said Launcelot. "Go on, Miss Billy." "So he gathered his troops from everywhere--north and south and east and west--till he had a great big army. There were ten thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand men on foot. And with music playing and banners flying and the sunlight glittering on their spears, they set off towards Rome with Lars Porsena at the head." "Just like Buff'lo Bill," said Fridoline. "Sh," admonished Ginevra. "Sh, yourself," retorted Fridoline defiantly. "In the meantime the Romans knew they were coming, and they went down by the river gate to talk it over. The Tiber river flowed by the city, and there was a big bridge----" "How bid?" inquired little Mike. "I don't know how big, but it was very large indeed," went on Miss Billy, "so that the enemy had to cross it before they could get into the city. And there they waited until a messenger came flying up the hill to tell them that Lars Porsena and his great army were very near. They looked over to the west, and they saw the great cloud of dust coming up from the road." "What was they goin' to do?" asked Jinny. "Why bust into the city an' kill the Romans," answered Launcelot. "Go on, Miss Billy."