Page 218 - A Knight of the White Cross

"You have done well indeed," Gervaise said, as the young knight ascended
to the poop. "Now give us a full account of what you have seen."

"As you know, Sir Gervaise, the bay opposite this island splits up into two,

running a long way inland, like the fangs of a great tooth. I had, of course,
no difficulty in finding the entrance to the bay itself, as it is but a short
distance across the strait. I steered first for the left hand shore, and kept

close along under the shadow of the cliffs, which, in many cases, rise
almost straight out from the water. We rowed very quietly, fearing to run

against a rock; for although it was light enough to see across the water, and
to make out any craft that might be anchored there, it was very dark along
the foot of the cliffs. There was no need for haste, as I knew I had plenty of

time to explore both arms of the bay, and to be back here before day began
to break.

"We rowed up to the end of the inlet, and then, having assured ourselves
that it was empty, came down the other side, and turned up the western

arm. We had got some distance along when I fancied I heard voices, and so
let the boat drift along, only dipping the oars in the water occasionally. I

could make out no signs whatever of the corsairs, when suddenly we came
upon a break in the cliffs. It was only some fifty yards across, and here a
creek came in at right angles to the shore. I could have given a shout of

pleasure as I looked up it, for there a score of lights were burning above a
dark mass, and we could hear the sound of talking and laughter. It was but a

glimpse I caught, for the men at once backed water, and we were soon
round the corner again.

"Up till then the fishermen had been ready enough to go where I wanted,
but the sight of that clump of galleys regularly scared them, and they

wanted to row straight away; but of course I pointed out to them that they
had taken pay to do this thing, and that they had to do it. They said that if
caught they would be either killed or made slaves of, and I could not

contradict them, but said that, in the first place, as I was ready to run the
risk, there was no reason why they shouldn't do so, and in the second, there

was no chance whatever of their being taken, as, if discovered, we should
get so long a start that we could either escape them altogether or run the