The holder of the bay horse with the blue and silver trappings recognized my pass-words and surrendered his charge to one of my extra bearers.

At the tavern another lined my wallet with bread, sausages, olives, dried figs and cheese, while I was changing into horseman's kit.
I put into the wallet my money, more than enough cash for my journey home, and Vedia's letter.

I then mounted, gave my boys their orders and set off at an easy canter.

I knew I must show no signs of haste until I was on the Highroad, so I took my time about working round to it.

Once on the _Via Tiburtina_, where horsemen at a tearing gallop, going in either direction, were too common a sight to cause any remarks, I let out my mettlesome mount and covered the remainder of the twenty-four miles to Tibur not long before noon.
Between the bridge over the Anio and Tibur are a number of hilltops, from each of which one has a fine view of Rome, if the weather is clear and bright.