Page 146 - A Knight of the White Cross

CHAPTER X.

A PLOT DISCOVERED.

The conversation between Gervaise and his fellow slave was interrupted by
the arrival at the side of the quay of a party of knights. Silence instantly fell

upon the slaves; all straightened themselves up to the oars, and prepared for
a start. Among the knights who took their places on the poop Gervaise saw

with amusement his friend Ralph. He had no fear of a recognition, for the
darkly stained skin and the black hair had so completely altered him that
when he had looked at himself in a mirror, after the application of the dye,

he was surprised to find that he would not have known it to be his own
face. Ralph was in command of the party, which consisted of young knights

who had but recently arrived at Rhodes; and as it was the first time he had
been appointed as instructor, Gervaise saw that he was greatly pleased at
what he rightly regarded as promotion.

The galley at once pushed off from the wharf, and rowed out of the port.

The work was hard; but as the slaves were not pressed to any extraordinary
exertions, Gervaise did not find it excessive. He congratulated himself,
however, that the stain was, as he had been assured, indelible, save by time,

for after a few minutes' exercise he was bathed in perspiration. As the
galley had been taken out only that instruction might be given to the young

knights, the work was frequently broken.

Sometimes they went ahead at full speed for a few hundred yards, as if to

chase an adversary; then they would swerve aside, the slaves on one side
rowing, while those on the other backed, so as to make a rapid turn. Then

she lay for a minute or two immovable, and then backed water, or turned to
avoid the attack of an imaginary foe. Then for an hour she lay quiet, while
the knights, divesting themselves of their mantles and armour, worked one

of the guns on the poop, aiming at a floating barrel moored for the purpose
a mile out at sea. At eleven o'clock they returned to the port. Bread and

water were served out to the slaves, and they were then permitted to lie
down and sleep, the galley being moored under the shadow of the wall.