Page 211 - A Knight of the White Cross

they had taken, and that, moreover, it would be a pity to weaken their force
by sending one of the prizes away. Having seen them off, Gervaise retired

to the cabin and threw himself down for a short sleep, leaving the knights
who had been off watch during the night, to see that all went well. In two

hours he was roused. A native craft had come alongside with Sir Fabricius
Caretto.

"I think she is just the craft for us," the knight said, as Gervaise came on
deck. "She belongs to a large fishing village just round the point to the left.

There were several boats there, but the villagers all said that this was the
speediest vessel anywhere along the coast. She belongs to two brothers,
who, with four men, constitute her regular crew; but I have arranged for

twelve others to go in her, in order that they may row her along at a good
pace if the wind falls light."

"Are your companions come off yet?"

"No; but we can hoist a flag for their recall."

"Do so. I shall be greatly obliged if you will undertake this mission to the
seaports. It needs one of name and rank to speak with the nobles and
officials authoritatively."

"I will gladly do so, Sir Gervaise. Give me your instructions, and you can

rely upon my carrying them out."

"I thank you greatly, Sir Fabricius, and shall be glad if you will take with

you any two of the knights you may select. I have to write letters for you to
deliver to the authorities at Naples, Pisa, and Genoa. I shall write but

briefly, and leave you to explain matters more fully. I shall merely say that
I have intelligence of the arrival here of a fleet of Moorish corsairs, of
whose strength I am ignorant, but that assuredly their intention is to make a

raid on the commerce of the coast, and perhaps to land at unprotected
places. At Ostia, after warning the authorities to send orders along the coast

for the inhabitants to be on their guard, pray them to carry word at once to
Rome, and request his Holiness the Pope to order some armed galleys to