Edward approached the book-shelf and selected a volume he thought the most likely to interest so little practised a reader; and when he turned round he saw Gusty poising in his hand an antique Irish sword of bronze.
“Do you know what that is?” inquired Edward.
“I can't tell you the name of it,” answered Gusty, “but I suppose it was something to stick a fellow.”
Edward smiled at the characteristic reply, and told him it was an antique Irish sword.
“A sword?” he exclaimed. “Isn't it short for a sword?”
“All the swords of that day were short.”
“When was that?” inquired the boy.
“Somewhere about two thousand years ago.”
“Two thousand years,” exclaimed Gusty, in surprise. “How is it possible you can tell this is two thousand years old?”
“Because it is made of the same metal and of the same shape as the swords found at Cannae, where the Carthaginians fought the Romans.”