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quarrels and disputes might arise as would bring the two armies to blows,

and destroy for ever all hope of the successful termination of our joint

enterprise."

"You are a wise and good youth," the princess said, holding out her hand

to Cuthbert, which, as in duty bound, he placed to his lips. "Your

request is wise and most thoughtful. I will use any poor influence which

I may possess"--and Cuthbert could see that the blood came back now to

the white face--"to induce King Richard to allow this matter to pass

over. There is no reason why he should take up the case. I am no more

under his protection than under that of the King of France, and it is to

the latter I should appeal, for as I believe the men who abducted me were

his subjects."

"The leader of them, madam, was a certain Sir de Jacquelin Barras, a

Count of Brabant, with whom my master has had an old feud, and who has

been just killed by the leader of our men-at-arms. The others, who have

had the most active hand in the matter, have also perished; and it would,

I think, be doubtful whether any clue could be obtained to those who were

in league with them. The only man in the party who is alive, was placed

as a sentry at your door, and as he is but a man-at-arms, we may be sure

that he knows nought of the enterprise, but has merely carried out the

orders of his master."

The vessel had by this time brought up close to the port. The princess

determined to wait on board until the first dawn was seen in the skies,

and then under the escort of her deliverers to go back to the palace,

before the town was moving. This plan was carried out, and soon after

dawn the princess was safe in the palace from which she had been carried

a few hours previously.

CHAPTER X.

PIRATES.

It was not possible that a matter of this sort could be entirely hushed

up. Not many hours passed before rumours were current of events which had

taken place, though none knew what those events were.

There were reports that the tire-woman of the Princess Berengaria had in

the night discovered that her mistress's couch was unoccupied, that she

had found signs of a struggle, and had picked up a dagger on the floor,

where it had evidently fallen from the sheath; also it was said, that the

princess had returned at daylight escorted by an armed party, and that

she was unable to obtain entrance to the palace until one of the ladies

of the queen had been fetched down to order the sentries at the gate to

allow her to enter.

This was the news which rumour carried through the camp. Few, however,

believed it, and none who could have enlightened them opened their lips

upon the subject.

It was known, however, that a messenger had come to King Richard early,

and that he had at once mounted, and ridden off to the bishop's palace.

What had happened there none could say, but there were rumours that his

voice had been heard in furious outbursts of passion. He remained there

until the afternoon, when he sent for a number of his principal nobles.

When these arrived, they found him standing on a da<s in the principal

hall of the palace, and he there formally introduced to them the Princess

Berengaria as his affianced wife. The ceremony of the marriage, he told

them, would shortly take place.

This announcement caused a tremendous stir in both armies. The English,

who had never been favourable to the alliance with the French princess,

were glad to hear that this was broken off, and were well content that

the Princess Berengaria should be their future queen, for her beauty,

high spirit, and kindness had won all hearts.

On the part of the French, on the other hand, there was great

indignation, and for some time it was feared that the armies would come

to open blows.

King Phillip, however, although much angered, was politic enough to

deprecate any open outbreak. He knew that a dispute now began, would not

only at once put a stop to the Crusade, but that it might lead to more

serious consequences at home. The fiery bravery of the English king,

backed as it would be by the whole strength of his subjects, might render

him a very formidable opponent; and the king felt that private grievances

must be laid aside where the good of France was concerned.

Still the coldness between the armies increased, their camps were moved

further apart, and during the time that they remained in Sicily, there

was but little commerce between the two forces.

As soon as the winter had broken, the French monarch broke up his camp,

and in March sailed for the Holy Land.

The English had expected that the marriage ceremony of the king and

Princess Berengaria would be celebrated before they left Sicily, but this

was not the case. There were high joustings and fetes in honour of the

princess, but the marriage was delayed. A fortnight after the French had

sailed, the English embarked in the 200 ships, which had been prepared,

and sailed also on their way to Acre.

It must not be supposed that the attempted abduction of the Princess

Berengaria was unimportant in its results to Cuthbert.

After returning from the palace the king, who had heard from her the

details of what had taken place, and the names of her rescuers, sent for

the Earl of Evesham. The latter had of course learned from Cuthbert all

that had happened, and had expressed his high approval of his conduct,

and his gratification at the result.

"I learn, Sir Earl," said King Richard, "that it is to you that I am

indebted for the rescue of the princess. She tells me, that suspecting

some plot, you placed a guard around the bishop's palace, with a strong

body on the shore ready to rescue her from the hands of any who might

attempt to take her to sea."

"It is as you say, sire," replied the earl; "but the whole merit of the

affair rests upon my page, the lad whom you may remember as having fought

with and conquered the French page, and of whose conduct you then

approved highly. You may also remember that he escaped by some display of

bravery and shrewdness the further attempts to assassinate him, and your

Majesty was good enough to make a complaint to King Phillip of the

conduct of one of his nobles on that head. It seems that some two months

since, the lad in coming through the French camp at night missed his way,

and accidentally overheard a few words spoken in a voice which he

recognized as that of his enemy. The name of your Majesty being

mentioned, he deemed it his duty to listen, and thus discovered that a

plot was on foot for carrying off the princess. After consultation with

me, we agreed upon the course to be adopted, namely, to place sentries

round the bishop's palace and the buildings adjoining, who should follow

and bring word should she be taken to another place in town, while a band

was placed on the shore in readiness to interfere at once to prevent her

being carried away by sea. He undertook the management of all details,

having with him a trusty squire who commands my Saxon bowmen."

"For your own part I thank you, my lord," the king said, "and, believe

me, you shall not find Richard ungrateful. As to your page, he appears

brave and wise beyond his years. Were it not that I think that it would

not be good for him, and might attract some envy upon the part of

others, I would at once make him a knight. He already has my promise

that I will do so on the first occasion when he can show his prowess

upon the infidels. Bring him to me to-morrow, when the princess will be

here with the Queen of Navarre at a banquet. I would fain thank him

before her; and, although I have agreed--at the princess's earnest

solicitation--to take no further notice of the matter, and to allow it

to pass as if it had not been, yet I cannot forgive the treachery which

has been used, and, without letting all know exactly what has occurred,

would fain by my reception of your page, let men see that something of

great import has happened, of the nature of which I doubt not that

rumour will give some notion."

Upon the following day, therefore, Cuthbert to his confusion found

himself the centre of the royal circle. The king expressed himself to him

in the most gracious manner, patting him on the shoulder, and said that

he would be one day one of the best and bravest of his knights. The

princess and the Queen of Navarre gave him their hands to kiss; and

somewhat overwhelmed, he withdrew from the royal presence, the centre of

attention, and, in some minds, of envy.

Cnut too did not pass unrewarded.

His Majesty, finding that Cnut was of gentle Saxon blood, gave him a gold

chain in token of his favour, and distributed a heavy purse among the men

who had followed him.

When the British fleet, numbering 200 ships, set sail from Sicily, it was

a grand and martial sight. From the masts were the colours of England and

those of the nobles who commanded; while the pennons of the knights, the

bright plumes and mantles, the flash of armour and arms, made the decks

alive with light and colour.

The king's ship advanced in the van, and round him were the vessels

containing his principal followers. The Queen of Navarre and the

Princess Berengaria were with the fleet. Strains of music rose from the

waters, and never were the circumstances of war exhibited in a more

picturesque form.

For two days the expedition sailed on, and then a change of a sudden and

disastrous kind took place.

"What is all this bustle about?" Cuthbert said to Cnut. "The sailors are

running up the ladders, and all seems confusion."

"Methinks," said Cnut, "that we are about to have a storm. A few minutes

ago scarce a cloud was to be seen; now that bank over there has risen

half-way up the sky. The sailors are accustomed to these treacherous

seas, and the warnings which we have not noticed have no doubt been clear

enough to them." With great rapidity the sails of the fleet came down,

and in five minutes its whole aspect was changed; but quickly as the

sailors had done their work, the storm was even more rapid in its

progress. Some of the ships whose crews were slower or less skilful than

the others, were caught by the gale before they could get their sails

snug, and the great sheets of white canvas were blown from the bolt ropes

as if made of paper, and a blackness which could almost be felt, covered

the sea, the only light being that given by the frothing waters. There

was no longer any thought of order. Each ship had to shift for herself;

and each captain to do his best to save those under his charge, without

thought of what might befall the others.

In the ship which carried the Earl of Evesham's contingent, order and

discipline prevailed. The earl's voice had been heard at the first puff

of wind, shouting to the men to go below, save a few who might be of use

to haul at ropes. His standard was lowered, the bright flags removed from

the sides of the ship, the shields which were hanging over the bulwarks

were hurriedly taken below, and when the gale smote them, the ship was

trim, and in readiness to receive it. A few square yards of sail alone

were all that the captain had thought it prudent to keep spread, and in a

minute from the time she was struck the lofty hulk was tearing along

through the waters at a tremendous speed. Four of the best hands were

placed at the helm; and here the captain took his post.

The danger was now that in the darkness they might run against one of

their consorts. Even in the war of the elements they could hear from time

to time crashes as of vessels striking against each other, with shouts

and cries. Once or twice from the darkness ships emerged, close on one

hand or the other; but the steadiness of the captain in each case saved

the ship from collision.

As the storm continued, these glimpses of other vessels became more and

more rare, and the ship being a very fast sailer, the captain indulged

the hope that he was now clear of the rest of the fleet.

He now attempted to lie-to to the storm, but the wind was too strong.

The ships in those days too, were so high out of the water, and offered

in themselves such a target to the wind, that it was useless to adopt any

other maneuver than to run before it.

For two days and nights the tempest raged.

"What think you," the earl said to the captain, "of our position? Where

are we, and where will the course upon which we are running take us?"

"I cannot say with certainty," the captain said, "for the wind has

shifted several times. I had hoped to gain the shelter of Rhodes, but a

shift of wind bore us away from there, and I much fear that from the

direction in which we have been running we must be very nigh on the coast

of Africa."

"Pest!" the earl said. "That would indeed be a speedy end to our Crusade.

These Moors are pirates and cut-throats to a man; and even should we

avoid the risk of being dashed to pieces, we should end our lives as

slaves to one of these black infidels."

Three hours later, the captain's prophecies turned out right. Breakers

were seen in various points in front, and with the greatest difficulty

the vessel was steered through an opening between them; but in another

few minutes she struck heavily, one of her masts went over the side,

and she lay fast and immovable. Fortunately, the outside bank of sand

acted as a sort of breakwater; had she struck upon this, the good ship

would have gone to pieces instantly; but although the waves still

struck her with considerable force, the captain had good hope that she

would not break up. Darkness came on; the tempest seemed to lull. As

there was no immediate danger, and all were exhausted by the tossing

which they had received during the last forty-eight hours, the crew of

the "Rose" slept soundly.

In the morning the sun rose brilliantly, and there was no sign of the

great storm which had scattered the fleet of England. The shore was to be

seen at a distance of some four miles, It was low and sandy, with lofty