Just across the valley from the king’s pastures there was another hill called the Aventine. It was there that poor old Numitor had his farm, and there he pastured his sheep and his goats.
“The grass is greener and taller on the Aventine,” said Romulus one day. “Let us drive our flocks over there to fatten in the fields of old Numitor.”
“Agreed!” said his companions; and soon the thing was done.
It was not long, however, before the shepherds of Numitor discovered the intruders. There was a great outcry. Numitor’s men rushed down the hillside with clubs and stones and pikes, and there was a sharp fight. The king’s shepherds were out-numbered four to one. They fought fiercely, but in the end were glad enough to hurry their flocks back to their own pasture.
A day or two after this, when Romulus was absent on a hunting excursion, it was discovered that the finest lamb in the king’s flock was missing.
“Wolves!” said the shepherds.
“Yes,” said the sharp-sighted Remus, “the two-legged wolves that keep old Numitor’s sheep! If you had as good eyes as I have, you could see the lamb now, tethered to a stake just this side of the great rock over there. Stay you here, and I will go and fetch it back.”
And all alone, with nothing but his staff in his hands, he strode off toward the Aventine.
“Let us go with you, Remus,” cried the shepherds. “You may need help.”
“Attend to your sheep, and do my bidding,” Remus roughly answered.
Ⅶ The Discovery
An hour later there was a great ado on the Aventine Hill. Remus had made his way up the slope without seeing a single enemy. He had reached the lamb and cut the cord with which it was tethered. He was about lifting it in his arms, when a dozen dark-faced fellows rushed suddenly upon him from their hiding place behind the great rock.
Remus dropped the lamb and fought manfully with his staff. But what could he do against so many? He was thrown to the ground; his hands were bound behind him; and then he was led over the hill to the farmhouse of old Numitor.
“Here is the ringleader of the gang that trespassed on your grounds,” said his captors.
“Then away with him!” cried Numitor, without looking up or rising from his couch. “Take him away and make an end of him.”
But before the men could turn round with their prisoner, there was a great hubbub at the