第 14 页

mountains in the distance. Far inland a white town with minaret and dome

could be seen.

"Know you where we are?" the earl asked.

"As far as I can tell," the captain said, "we have been driven up the bay

called the Little Syrtis--a place full of shoals and shallows, and

abounding with pirates of the worst kind."

"Think you that the ship has suffered injury?"

"Whether she has done so or not," the captain said, "I fear greatly that

she is fast in the sand, and even the lightening of all her cargo will

scarce get her off; but we must try at least."

"It is little time that we shall have to try, Master Captain," Cuthbert,

who was standing close, said. "Methinks those two long ships which are

putting out from that town will have something to say to that."

"It is too true," the captain said. "Those are the galleys of the Moorish

corsairs. They are thirty or forty oars, draw but little water, and will

be here like the wind."

"What do you advise?" asked the earl. "The balistas which you have upon

the poop can make but a poor resistance to boats that can row around us,

and are no doubt furnished with heavy machines. They will quickly

perceive that we are aground and defenceless, and will be able to plump

their bolts into us until they have knocked the good ship to pieces.

However, we will fight to the last. It shall not be said that the Earl of

Evesham was taken by infidel dogs and sold as a slave, without striking a

blow in his defence."

Cuthbert stood watching the corsairs, which were now rowing towards them

at all speed.

"Methinks, my lord," he said, presently, "if I might venture to give an

opinion, that we might yet trick the infidel."

"As how, Cuthbert?" the earl said. "Speak out; you know that I have great

faith in your sagacity."

"I think, sir," the page said, "that did we send all your men below,

leaving only the crew of the vessel on deck, they would take us for a

merchant ship which has been wrecked here, and exercise but little care

how they approach us. The men on deck might make a show of shooting once

or twice with the balistas. The pirates, disdaining such a foe, would row

alongside. Once there, we might fasten one or both to our side with

grapnels, and then, methinks, that English bill and bow will render us

more than a match for Moorish pirates, and one of these craft can

scarcely carry more men than we have. I should propose to take one of

them by force, and drive the pirates overboard; take possession of, if

possible, or beat off, her consort; and then take the most valuable

stores from the ship, and make our way as best we can to the north."

"Well thought of!" exclaimed the earl, cordially. "You have indeed

imagined a plan which promises well. What think you, captain?"

"I think, my lord," the Genoese said, "that the plan is an excellent one,

and promises every success. If your men will all go below, holding their

arms in readiness for the signal, mine shall prepare grapnels and ropes,

and the first of these craft which comes alongside they will lash so

securely to the "Rose" that I warrant me she gets not away."

These preparations were soon made.

The soldiers, who at first had been filled with apprehension at the

thought of slavery among the infidels, were now delighted at the prospect

of a struggle ending in escape.

The archers prepared their bows and arrows, and stood behind the

port-holes in readiness to pour a volley into the enemy; the men-at-arms

grasped their pikes and swords; while above, the sailors moved hither and

thither as if making preparations for defence, but in reality preparing

the grapnels and ropes.

One of the pirates was faster than the other, and soon coming within

reach, poured flights of javelins and stones upon the "Rose" from

powerful machines, which she carried in her bow.

The crew of the "Rose" replied with their crossbows and arrows

from the poop.

The corsair at first did not keep her course direct for the ship, but

rowed round her, shooting arrows and casting javelins. Then, apparently

satisfied that no great precaution need be observed with a feebly-manned

ship in so great a strait as the "Rose," they set up a wild cry of

"Allah!" and rowed towards her.

In two minutes the corsair was alongside of the "Rose," and the fierce

crew were climbing up her sides. As she came alongside the sailors cast

grapnels into her rigging, and fastened her to the "Rose;" and then aloud

shout of "Hurrah for England!" was heard; the ports opened, and a volley

of arrows was poured upon the astonished corsair; and from the deck above

the assailants were thrown back into the galley, and a swarm of heavily

armed men leapt down from the ship upon them.

Taken by surprise, and indeed outnumbered, the resistance of the corsairs

was but slight. In a close fierce m^l,e like this the light-armed Moors

had but little chance with the mail-clad English, whose heavy swords and

axes clove their defences at a blow. The fight lasted but three minutes,

and then the last of the corsairs was overboard.

The men who rowed the galley had uttered the most piercing cries while

this conflict had been raging. They were unable to take any part in

it, had they been disposed to do so, for they were all slaves chained

to the oars.

Scarcely had the conflict ended when the other galley arrived upon the

scene; but seeing what had happened, and that her consort had fallen into

the hands of the English, she at once turned her head, and rowed back

rapidly to the town from which she had come.

Among the slaves who rowed the galley were many white men, and their

cries of joy at their liberation greatly affected those who had thus

unexpectedly rescued them. Hammers were soon brought into requisition,

the shackles struck off them, and a scene of affecting joy took place.

The slaves were of all nationalities, but Italians and Spaniards, French

and Greeks, formed the principal part. There was no time, however, to be

lost; the arms and munitions of war were hastily removed from the "Rose,"

together with the most valuable of the stores.

The galley-slaves again took their places, and this time willingly, at

the oars, the places of the weakest being supplied by the English, whose

want of skill was made up by the alacrity with which they threw their

strength into the work; and in an hour from the time that the galley had

arrived alongside of the "Rose," her head was turned north, and with

sixty oars she was rowing at all speed for the mouth of the bay.

CHAPTER XI.

IN THE HOLY LAND.

As soon as the galley which had escaped reached the town from which it

had started, it with three others at once set out in pursuit; while from

a narrow creek two other galleys made their appearance.

There were a few words of question among the English whether to stop and

give battle to these opponents, or to make their way with all speed. The

latter counsel prevailed; the earl pointing out that their lives were now

scarcely their own, and that they had no right on their way to the holy

sepulchre to risk them unnecessarily.

Fortunately they had it in their hands to fight or escape, as they chose;

for doubly banked as the oars now were, there was little chance of the

enemy's galleys overtaking them. Gradually as they rowed to sea the

pursuing vessels became smaller and smaller to view, until at last they

were seen to turn about and make again for land.

After some consultation between the earl and the captain of the lost

ship, it was determined to make for Rhodes. This had been settled as a

halting-point for the fleet, and the earl thought it probable that the

greater portion of those scattered by the storm would rendezvous there.

So it proved; after a voyage, which although not very long was tedious,

owing to the number of men cramped up in so small a craft, they came

within sight of the port of Rhodes, and were greatly pleased at seeing a

perfect forest of masts there, showing that at least the greater portion

of the fleet had survived the storm.

This was indeed the fact, and a number of other single ships dropped in

during the next day or two.

There was great astonishment on the part of the fleet when the long swift

galley was seen approaching, and numerous conjectures were offered as to

what message the pirates could be bringing--for there was no mistaking

the appearance of the long, dangerous-looking craft.

When, upon her approach, the standard of the Earl of Evesham was seen

flying on the bow, a great shout of welcome arose from the fleet; and

King Richard himself, who happened to be on the deck of the royal ship,

shouted to the earl to come on board and tell him what masquerading he

was doing there. The earl of course obeyed the order, anchoring near the

royal vessel, and going on board in a small boat, taking with him his

page and squire.

The king heard with great interest the tale of the adventures of the

"Rose"; and when the Earl of Evesham said that it was to Cuthbert that

was due the thought of the stratagem by which the galley was captured,

and its crew saved from being carried away into hopeless slavery, the

king patted the boy on the shoulder with such hearty force as nearly to

throw Cuthbert off his feet.

"By St. George!" said the monarch, "you are fated to be a very pink of

knights. You seem as thoughtful as you are brave; and whatever your age

may be, I declare that the next time your name is brought before me I

will call a chapter of knights, and they shall agree that exception shall

be made in your favour, and that you shall at once be admitted to the

honourable post. You will miss your page, Sir Walter; but I am sure you

will not grudge him that."

"No, no, sire," said the earl. "The lad, as I have told your Majesty, is

a connexion of mine--distant, it is true, but one of the nearest I

have--and it will give me the greatest pleasure to see him rising so

rapidly, and on a fair way to distinguish himself highly. I feel already

as proud of him as if he were my own son."

The fleet remained some two or three weeks at Rhodes, for many of the

vessels were sorely buffeted and injured, masts were carried away as well

as bulwarks battered in, and the efforts of the crews and of those of the

whole of the artificers of Rhodes were called into requisition. Light

sailing craft were sent off in all directions, for the king was in a

fever of anxiety. Among the vessels still missing was that which bore the

Queen of Navarre and the fair Berengaria.

One day a solitary vessel was seen approaching.

"Another of our lost sheep," the earl said, looking out over the poop.

She proved, however, to be a merchant ship of Greece, and newly come

from Cyprus.

Her captain went on board the royal ship, and delivered message to the

king, to the effect that two of the vessels had been cast upon the coast

of Cyprus, that they had been plundered by the people, the crews

ill-treated and made prisoners by the king, and that the Queen of Navarre

and the princess were in their hands.

This roused King Richard into one of his furies.

"Before I move a step towards the Holy Land," he said, "I will avenge

these injuries upon this faithless and insolent king. I swear that I will

make him pay dearly for having laid a hand upon these ladies."

At once the signal was hoisted for all the vessels in a condition to sail

to take on board water and provisions, and to prepare to sail for Cyprus;

and the next morning at daybreak the fleet sailed out, and made their way

towards that island, casting anchor off the harbour of Famagosta.

King Richard sent a messenger on shore to the king, ordering him at once

to release the prisoners; to make the most ample compensation to them; to

place ships at their service equal to those which had been destroyed;

and to pay a handsome sum of money as indemnity.

The King of Cyprus, however, an insolent and haughty despot, sent back a

message of defiance. King Richard at once ordered the anchors to be

raised, and all to follow the royal ship.

The fleet entered the harbour of Famagosta; the English archers began the

fight by sending a flight of arrows into the town. This was answered from

the walls by a shower of stones and darts from the machines.

There was no time wasted. The vessels were headed towards the shore, and

as the water was deep, many of them were able to run close alongside the

rocky wharves. In an instant, regardless of the storm of weapons poured

down by the defenders, the English leapt ashore.

The archers kept up so terrible a rain of missiles against the

battlements that the defenders could scarcely show themselves for an

instant there, and the men-at-arms, placing ladders against them,

speedily mounted, and putting aside all opposition, poured into the town.

The effeminate Greek soldiers of the monarch could offer no effectual

resistance whatever, and he himself fled from the palace and gained the

open country, followed by a few adherents. The English gained a

considerable booty, for in those days a town taken by assault was always

looked upon as the property of the captors. The Queen of Navarre and the

princess were rescued.

King Richard, however, was not satisfied with the success he had

gained, and was determined to punish this insolent little king.

Accordingly the English were set in motion into the interior, and town

after town speedily fell, or opened their gates to him. The king,

deserted by his troops, and detested by his people for having brought

so terrible a scourge upon them by his reckless conduct, now sued for

peace; but King Richard would give him no terms except dethronement,

and this he was forced to accept. He was deprived of his crown, and

banished from the island.

The king now, to the surprise of his barons, announced his intention of