Page 213 - A Knight of the White Cross

Gervaise now questioned the other Italian knights as to what information
they had gained.

They said the peasants had told them that several strange craft, using both

oars and sails, had been noticed passing northwards, and that so strong was
the opinion that these were either Algerines or Tunisians that, for the last
three or four days, none of the fishing craft had ventured to put to sea. They

were able to tell but little as to the bays along the coastline, which they
described as very rugged and precipitous. Five or six little streams ran, they

knew, down from the mountains. They thought the most likely places for
corsairs to rendezvous would be in a deep indentation north of Cape
Bellavista, or behind Cape Comino. If not at these places, they might meet

in the great bay at whose entrance stands Tavolara Island, and that beyond,
there were several deep inlets on the northeastern coast of the Island.

Gervaise had a consultation with Ralph.

"The first thing is to find out where these corsairs have their meeting place,

Ralph; and this must be done without their catching sight of the galley or of
the prizes, which some of them would be sure to recognise."

Ralph nodded.

"It is a difficult question, Gervaise. Of course, if we had a boat speedy
enough to row away from the corsairs it would be easy enough; but with

wind and oars they go so fast that no boat could escape them."

"That is quite certain, Ralph; and therefore, if it is done by a boat, it must

be by one so small and insignificant that they would pay but little attention
to it if they caught sight of it. My idea is that we should take our own little

boat, which is a fast one, paint it black, to give it the appearance of a
fisherman's boat, and hire a couple of good rowers from the village. This,
with one knight dressed as a fisherman, should go ahead of us, and explore

every inlet where ships could be sheltered. We would follow ten miles
behind. When we get near the places where the natives think the fleet is

likely to be, the boat must go on at night, while we anchor. In that way they
ought to be able to discover the corsairs, while themselves unseen, and to