Page 200 - A Knight of the White Cross

langues at the poop; and so impetuous was their onset that the pirates, who
had still scarce recovered from their surprise at being hastily aroused from

sleep to repel the attack of the foe who had so suddenly sprung out from the
darkness upon them, offered but a feeble resistance. Many threw

themselves overboard, and swam to the ship nearest to them; others were
cut down; and the rest flung away their arms, and cried for quarter.

All who did so were, without the loss of a minute's time, thrown down into
the hold of their ship, and the hatches secured over them. It had before been

arranged that Ralph should take the command of the corsair, having with
him France, Auvergne, and Germany. As soon, therefore, as the captives
were fastened below, Gervaise called the knights of the other four langues

back to the deck of the galley. The lashings were cast off, she was pushed
from the side of the prize, and the oars were got out. There was no time to

be lost, for the largest of the three pirate ships, which had, directly it was
seen that her consort was captured, poured two heavy broadsides into the
prize, was now approaching -- rowing but slowly, however, for the third

vessel to come up.

She was but a hundred yards away when the galley swept round the bow of
the prize and advanced to meet her. As she did so, Ralph discharged the
eight guns of the prize, which he had at once reloaded, into the bow of the

corsair, the shot raking the crowded deck from end to end. When but a few
yards distant, the two bow guns of the galley poured in a shower of

missiles, and a moment later she ran alongside the pirate, the poop guns, as
before, preparing the way for the boarders. But no sooner had they leapt on
deck than they were met by the pirates, headed by their captain.

Gervaise had specially charged the knights not to allow themselves to be

carried away by their ardour. "We are sure to be greatly outnumbered, and,
when we first spring on board, we must cut our way across the deck, and
then form ourselves in a double or treble line across it, and, so fighting,

gradually force them before us."

This, in spite of the efforts of the pirates, was accomplished, and, once
formed, the corsairs strove in vain to break through the wall of steel. For a