Part 8 (1/2)
”Fellow knights, we must lose no time in going to Ricord's a.s.sistance.
The slaves have had a long row today, but they must start on another.
Let them have a good meal to strengthen them, and a cup of wine each.
Whatever their scruples at other times, they never refuse wine when there is heavy work to be done, knowing full well that a draught of it helps them mightily in their labours. Your men must have rowed well, Sir John, to have brought you here so quickly?”
”I have promised them their freedom,” Sir John said; ”and they shall have it, even if I have to pay their value into the treasury. As I told you, we were hotly pursued, for the craft with her sail went faster than we with our oars; and, knowing the importance of bringing the news here, I encouraged them by promising them their freedom, should we get away.
Not only did they row right manfully, but they proved faithful in our extremity, and, when all seemed lost, stuck to us instead of deserting and joining the pirates.”
”But how did you get away, Sir John, if their craft outsailed you?”
”I owe my life entirely to the quick wit of my young countryman, Sir Gervaise Tresham here.” And Sir John then related the incidents of their adventure on the island, his narrative eliciting warm expressions of approval from the knights.
”Of course, you will go with us, Boswell?” Don Santoval said, when the master of the slaves announced that these had eaten their meal, and were ready.
”I must do so,” Sir John replied. ”I want you, on your way, to look in at that island where we had so narrow an escape, and if we find their craft still there we can destroy it. The place is directly in our course; we shall, therefore, lose but little time in looking in. Of course, they may have gone as soon as they got their vessel afloat, but it is hardly likely. They would have no idea of my returning with a galley so soon, and will probably set to to make a dozen more oars before they start, for she had but four on board, which will scarce suffice to send her a mile an hour through the water. Therefore, I fancy they will not put off until tomorrow morning. If that is so, and we destroy their craft, they will be trapped in the islet, and on our return we can capture them all. I think of leaving Harcourt and Tresham in the boat, in order that when Piccolomini's galley comes in, they may direct him also to join us.”
”He may be in at any moment; we met him three days since. He had captured a pirate, and sent her off under charge of ten of his knights.
We agreed to meet him this evening; and as he is not here, he will probably be in the first thing in the morning.”
Gervaise and Harcourt took their places in the boat again. The galley got up its anchor and started. Just as she reached the mouth of the inlet another galley rounded the point and nearly ran into her.
”I am going to Ricord's a.s.sistance, Piccolomini,” Don Santoval shouted.
”Is it urgent?” the commander of the galley shouted back. ”We have had a very long row, and can go no farther, unless his strait is a very sore one.”
”No. Come on in the morning. You will hear all the news from a boat lying two hundred yards astern. Two young English knights are waiting in her to give you the news. Ricord has made a fine capture. Row on, men.”
And the galley proceeded on her way, while the newcomer proceeded up the harbour.
Harcourt and Gervaise at once went on board, and the former gave the Italian commander an account of the battle that had taken place, and the capture of the four pirate vessels. After the exclamations of satisfaction by the knights had ceased, he recounted their own adventures, which were heard with lively interest.
”I hope indeed that Santoval will burn that fis.h.i.+ng boat, and that we shall capture the pirates,” the commander said. ”We have need of more slaves to carry out the works at Rhodes. Now, let us to supper, gentlemen, and then to sleep. In six hours we will be off again, for if some more of these villains have escaped and carried the news to Ha.s.san Ali, our swords may be sorely needed by Ricord and Santoval tomorrow.”
CHAPTER VI KNIGHTED
At three in the morning all on board the galley were astir. A ration of bread and meat was served out to the slaves, and the boat was soon afterwards under way. The rowers of the English knight's boat had been warmly commended by the commander and placed in charge of the overseer, with instructions that they were to be treated as free men. As soon as the galley slaves set to work, however, they seated themselves on the benches and double banked some of the oars, anxious to please the knights. With the exception of those whose turn it was to be on watch, most of the knights slept until daybreak.
”At the rate we are rowing, Gervaise,” Harcourt said, as they went up on to the p.o.o.p together, ”it will not take us very long to join our friends. We are going through the water at fully six miles an hour; and as we have already been two hours under way, in another three we shall be there.”
An hour and a half later they pa.s.sed the island where they had landed.
The two young knights pointed out to the others the valley into which they had descended, and the point round which they had swum. In a few minutes they caught sight of the landing place.
”Look, Gervaise, there is something black showing just above the water.”
”I see it. I think it is a line of timbers. There were certainly no rocks there when we ran ash.o.r.e.”
”Then Santoval must have found the craft still there and burnt her,” one of the knights standing by remarked, ”and the pirates are caged up. It will take them some time to make a raft that will carry them to the next island, and before they can do that we shall be back again. I shall be sorry if they escape, for they are as ruthless a set of villains as sail the seas.”
The galley had traversed half the remaining distance when the sound of a gun was faintly heard. For a moment there was an absolute hush on the p.o.o.p; then three or four shots in rapid succession were heard.
”Some more pirate s.h.i.+ps must have come up,” the commander exclaimed.