Part Four


By the next day at lunch, however,

Max could not remember why he had tied
the white string around his bicep.

Was it to remind him to wash the dog?

Or to take the chariot in for an oil change?

The white string was forgotten quickly, though, when he was sent flying by an unseen attacker.

It was Herodamus, come back to poke at Max's cheek once again.

Max was furious. If anyone were going to do cheek finger poking, it would be he, himself!!!

Quickly he flipped Herodamus onto his back...

And ruthlessly began to trim his facial stubble.

He was careful not to leave a single hair.

After the dreadful deed was done... Maximus...gasp....Maximus LAUGHED!

Giving Herodamus a mocking salute,

Maximus went to the Trevi Fountain and blew nose bubbles all afternoon.

Drying off just before sundown,

Max went for a long walk alone in the forest.

He looked up as a girl fell from a dirigible,

barely managing to catch her before she crashed to the forest floor.

The impact caused him to lose his footing and fall into the mud.

After a quick wash in a nearby stream,

he waited patiently for her to reappear.

But she had gone, and he was left alone in the sudden downpour.

Drying off in the campfire he made,

he was in no mood to be trifled with.

He went back to the arena, vengeance against evil Herodamus his only thought.

They battled fiercely, their swords making silver X's in the sun-scorched air.

Dropping his sword, Max made more X's with various other weaponry.

Herodamus surrendered and signed the paper Max held, giving up all his rights

to this year's wheat crop.

Max returned to the Chicago River, happy in the knowledge that he could bathe his mares in peace once more.

Never again would he have to sleep with one eye open.

He could just sit on the fence all day and look beautiful.

That is....unless he really did want to capture that enemy ship.