l! we have had great joys in
france."
"and sorrows also," quoth the other. "i have some sad memories
of the land. can you recall that which befell us at libourne?"
"nay, i cannot call to mind that we ever so much as drew sword at
the place."
"man, man," cried sir oliver, "your mind still runs on nought but
blades and bassinets. hast no space in thy frame for the softer
joys. ah, even now i can scarce speak of it unmoved. so noble a
pie, such tender pigeons, and sugar in the gravy instead of salt!
you were by my side that day, as were sir claude latour and the
lord of pommers."
"i remember it," said sir nigel, laughing, "and how you harried
the cook down the street, and spoke of setting fire to the inn.
by st. paul! most worthy mayor, my old friend is a perilous man,
and i rede you that you compose your difference with him on such
terms as you may."
"the clams and scallops shall be ready within the hour," the
mayor answered. "i had asked sir oliver buttesthorn to do my
humble board the honor to partake at it of the dainty upon which
we take some little pride, but in sooth this alarm of pirates
hath cast such a shadow on my wits that i am like one distrait.
but i trust, sir nigel, that you will also partake of none-meat
with me?"
"i have overmuch to do," sir nigel answered, "for we must be
aboard, horse and man, as early as we may. how many do you
muster, sir oliver?"
"three and forty. the forty are drunk, and the three are but
indifferent sober. i have them all safe upon the ship."
"they had best find their wits again, for i shall have work for
every man of them ere the sun set. it is my intention, if it
seems good to you, to try a venture against these norman and
genoese rovers."
"they carry caviare and certain very noble spices from the levant
aboard of ships from genoa," quoth sir oliver. "we may come to
great profit through the business. i pray you, master-shipman,
that when you go on board you pour a helmetful of sea-water over
any of my rogues whom you may see there."
leaving the lusty knight and the mayor of lepe, sir nigel led the
company straight down to the water's edge, where long lines of
flat lighters swiftly bore them to their vessel. horse after
horse was slung by main force up from the barges, and after
kicking and plunging in empty air was dropped into the deep waist
of the yellow cog, where rows of stalls stood ready for their
safe keeping. englishmen in those days were skilled and prompt
in such matters, for it was so not long before that edward had
embarked as many as fifty thousand men in the port of orwell,
with their horses and their baggage, all in the space of four-
and-twenty hours. so urgent was sir nigel on the shore, and so
prompt was goodwin hawtayne on the cog, that sir oliver
buttesthorn had scarce swallowed his last scallop ere the peal of
the trumpet and clang of nakir announced that all was ready and
the anchor drawn. in the last boat which left the shore the two
commanders sat together in the sheets, a strange contrast to one
another, while under the feet of the rowers was a litter of huge
stones which sir nigel had ordered to be carried to the cog.
these once aboard, the ship set her broad mainsail, purple in
color, and with a golden st. christopher bearing christ upon his
shoulder in the centre of it. the breeze blew, the sail bellied,
over heeled the portly vessel, and away she plunged through the
smooth blue rollers, amid the clang of the minstrels on her poop
and the shouting of the black crowd who fringed the yellow beach.
to the left lay the green island of wight, with its long, low,
curving hills peeping over each other's shoulders to the sky-
line; to the right the wooded hampshire coast as far as eye could
reach; above a steel-blue heaven, with a wintry sun shimmering
down upon them, and enough of frost to set the breath a-smoking.
"by st. paul!" said sir nigel gayly, as he stood upon the poop
and looked on either side of him, "it is a land which is very
well worth fighting for, and it were pity to go to france for
what may be had at home. did you not spy a crooked man upon the
beach?"
"nay, i spied nothing," grumbled sir oliver, "for i was hurried
down with a clam stuck in my gizzard and an untasted goblet of
cyprus on the board behind me."
"i saw him, my fair lord," said terlake, "an old man with one
shoulder higher than the other."
" 'tis a sign of good fortune," quoth sir nigel. "our path was
also crossed by a woman and by a priest, so all should be well
with us. what say you, edricson?"
"i cannot tell, my fair lord. the romans of old were a very wise
people, yet, certes, they placed their faith in such matters.
so, too, did the greeks, and divers other ancient peoples who
were famed for their learning. yet of the moderns there ar
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