Marcus, The Young Centurion, by George Manville Fenn.
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Marcus is eighteen, and his father had been a great Roman General,
Cracis, who had fallen from grace some years before and was living
quietly, farming in a small way in southern Italy. An old ex-soldier,
Serge, works on the farm, and is helping to bring Marcus up. Marcus
would like to be a soldier, and is encouraged in this by Serge, but his
father has forbidden any discussion of the topic.
One day a stranger comes to the door. This turns out to be none other
than Caius Julius, later Caesar, who begs Marcus' father to join him in
a war against the Gauls. He agrees, and goes, having made Marcus and
Serge promise that they would not try to follow him.
But they do, independently, and then meet accidentally. Serge was being
attacked by bandits, and Marcus sees this happening and rushes to the
rescue, so they are reunited, later to be joined also by the household
dog, Lupe, who has tracked them across Italy. On reaching Rome they are
just in time to join the last unit of the Roman army as it leaves for
the war. They make their way across the mountains and into Gaul
(France), where battles ensue, in which they distinguish themselves, and
are brought to the notice of the Generals, whom they had rescued from
personal disaster during the battle. So Marcus' military career is
assured.
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