," cried alleyne, vainly struggling to
break from the other's hold.
"bide here, man. you would need wings ere you could reach sir
nigel's side."
the vessels were indeed so far apart now that the genoese could
use the full sweep of their oars, and draw away rapidly from the
cog.
"my god, but it is a noble fight!" shouted big john, clapping his
hands. "they have cleared the poop, and they spring into the
waist. well struck, my lord! well struck, aylward! see to
black simon, how he storms among the shipmen! but this spade-
beard is a gallant warrior. he rallies his men upon the
forecastle. he hath slain an archer. ha! my lord is upon him.
look to it, alleyne! see to the whirl and glitter of it!"
"by heaven, sir nigel is down!" cried the squire.
"up!" roared john. "it was but a feint. he bears him back. he
drives him to the side. ah, by our lady, his sword is through
him! they cry for mercy. down goes the red cross, and up
springs simon with the scarlet roses!"
the death of the genoese leader did indeed bring the resistance
to an end. amid a thunder of cheering from cog and from galleys
the forked pennon fluttered upon the forecastle, and the galley,
sweeping round, came slowly back, as the slaves who rowed it
learned the wishes of their new masters.
the two knights had come aboard the cog, and the grapplings
having been thrown off, the three vessels now moved abreast
through all the storm and rush of the fight alleyne had been
aware of the voice of goodwin hawtayne, the master-shipman, with
his constant "hale the bowline! veer the sheet!" and strange it
was to him to see how swiftly the blood-stained sailors turned
from the strife to the ropes and back. now the cog's head was
turned francewards, and the shipman walked the deck, a peaceful
master-mariner once more.
there is sad scath done to the cog, sir nigel," said he. "here
is a hole in the side two ells across, the sail split through the
centre, and the wood as bare as a friar's poll. in good sooth, i
know not what i shall say to master witherton when i see the
itchen once more."
"by st. paul! it would be a very sorry thing if we suffered you
to be the worse of this day's work," said sir nigel. "you shall
take these galleys back with you, and master witherton may sell
them. then from the moneys he shall take as much as may make
good the damage, and the rest he shall keep until our home-
coming, when every man shall have his share. an image of silver
fifteen inches high i have vowed to the virgin, to be placed in
her chapel within the priory, for that she was pleased to allow
me to come upon this spade-beard, who seemed to me from what i
have seen of him to be a very sprightly and valiant gentleman.
but how fares it with you, edricson?"
"it is nothing, my fair lord," said alleyne, who had now loosened
his bassinet, which was cracked across by the norman's blow.
even as he spoke, however, his head swirled round, and he fell to
the deck with the blood gushing from his nose and mouth.
"he will come to anon," said the knight, stooping over him and
passing his fingers through his hair. "i have lost one very
valiant and gentle squire this day. i can ill afford to lose
another. how many men have fallen?"
"i have pricked off the tally," said aylward, who had come aboard
with his lord. "there are seven of the winchester men, eleven
seamen, your squire, young master terlake, and nine archers."
"and of the others?"
"they are all dead--save only the norman knight who stands behind
you. what would you that we should do with him?"
"he must hang on his own yard," said sir nigel. "it was my vow
and must be done."
the pirate leader had stood by the bulwarks, a cord round his
arms, and two stout archers on either side. at sir nigel's words
he started violently, and his swarthy features blanched to a
livid gray.
"how, sir knight?" he cried in broken english. "que ditesvous?
to hang, le mort du chien! to hang!"
"it is my vow," said sir nigel shortly. "from what i hear, you
thought little enough of hanging others."
"peasants, base roturiers," cried the other. "it is their
fitting death. mais le seigneur d'andelys, avec le sang des rois
dans ses veins! c'est incroyable!"
sir nigel turned upon his heel, while two seamen cast a noose
over the pirate's neck. at the touch of the cord he snapped the
bonds which bound him, dashed one of the archers to the deck, and
seizing the other round the waist sprang with him into the sea.
"by my hilt, he is gone!" cried aylward, rushing to the side.
"they have sunk together like a stone."
"i am right glad of it," answered sir nigel; "for though it was
against my vow to loose him, i deem that he has carried himself
like a very gentle and debonnaire cavalier."
chapter xv
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