Page 199 - A Knight of the White Cross

"We shall have time to carry her, Ralph, before the others come to her
assistance, and they will only arrive one at a time. If we were to lie

alongside the middle craft, which is probably that of the chief, as it is she
that has the light burning, we might have the other two upon us before we

had done with her, for she is evidently the largest, and most likely the
strongest handed, of them."

The leader of the pirates evidently saw that there was no chance of evading
the fight. A flag was run up to the masthead of his ship, and the three

vessels began to endeavour to turn, so as to meet the galley. The operation,
however, took some time. In the confusion, orders were misunderstood, and
instead of all the slaves on one side rowing whilst those on the other side

backed, all order was lost, and long before the craft for which the galley
was making had got round, the latter was upon her.

"Shall I ram her, Sir Gervaise?" the pilot asked.

"No; we might damage ourselves; besides, I do not want to sink her. Sheer
away the oars on one side!"

The galley carried eight guns -- three on each side of the poop, and two
forward; and these had been loaded with small pieces of iron. A few shots

had been fired by the pirates, but, owing to the confusion that prevailed on
board, the guns were discharged so hurriedly that the shot either flew

overhead or passed wide of the galley. Excited as the young knights were,
and eager for the fray, a general laugh broke out as the galley swept along
by the pirate ship, breaking many of her oars, and hurling all the slaves who

manned them backwards off their benches. A moment later the guns poured
their iron contents among the pirates who clustered thickly on the forecastle

and poop, and as the vessels grated together the knights sprang on board the
corsair.

The members of the English langue had each been provided with short
pieces of rope, and before joining their companions in the fray they lashed

the vessels together, side by side. The fight was a very short one. France
and Auvergne, led by Ralph Harcourt, boarded at the bow, the other five