Page 210 - A Knight of the White Cross

CHAPTER XIV

THE CORSAIR FLEET

An hour later all was ready for a start. The knights of the langues of France,
Germany, and Spain went on board their respective ships, as did the three

parties of released captives, with the knights who were to command them,
while the rowers took their seats on the benches, shackled with the chains

that had recently held the Christians. The wind was from the south, and
with sails and oars the prizes were able to keep fairly abreast of the galley.
With a few short intervals of rest, the slaves continued their work all night,

until, shortly before daybreak, land was seen ahead, and the pilot at once
pronounced it to be Cape Carbonara.

"A good landfall, Gervaise," Ralph said. "The pilot has done right well. I
suppose you mean to anchor when you get there?"

"Certainly, Ralph. The slaves will have rowed nearly eighteen hours, with

only two hours' rest. They must have some hours, at least, of sleep before
we go on. As you and I have been up all night, we will turn in also. We will
send a boat ashore to try and find out from the natives they may come

across whether any vessels, bearing the appearance of Moorish corsairs,
have been seen passing up the coast, and also to find out what bays and

inlets there are where they would be likely to anchor. Some of the Italian
knights had best go with the boat, for though I believe these people speak a
different dialect to those of the mainland, they would have more chance of

understanding them than any of the others."

The sun had risen when the little fleet came to an anchor close to the cape.
A boat was at once prepared to go ashore, and Gervaise begged Fabricius
Caretto, the senior of the rescued Italian knights, to endeavour to find out

whether a swift sailing craft of some kind could be hired. If so, he was to
secure her on any terms, and come off in her at once to the galley.

Gervaise had already talked the matter over with Ralph, and they agreed
that a strongly manned craft of this kind would go faster than any of those