"Where is Ptolemy?" shouted one of the Macedonians, a bearded man who seemed to be second in command. "Who has seen the captain?"
"He rode in advance," one of the troopers replied.
"If we do not bring him back, we shall have to answer for it to the king, and you know what that means," the first man said.
"He is here!" Clearchus called from the thicket.
The bearded lieutenant and several others hastily dismounted and carried their captain out into the road. He was still unconscious.
"Who are you?" the lieutenant demanded gruffly, looking at the two young men with suspicion.
"I am Clearchus of Athens, and this is Leonidas of Sparta," Clearchus replied.
"Of Athens!" the man said sneeringly. "Go back to your city and tell the cowards who live there that we are coming!"
"As you came once before—with Xerxes!" the young Athenian answered quickly.
The lieutenant's face grew livid and he whipped out his sword.