Page 243 - A Knight of the White Cross

galley, and he has, as all will allow, well justified the choice. It was
because it was deemed inexpedient to place knights many years his senior

under his command, and partly, perhaps, to encourage the younger knights,
by giving them an exceptional opportunity of distinguishing themselves,

that the crew was chosen entirely from their ranks. I was selected as second
in command because Gervaise and I had been special friends when we
came out from England in the same ship, and had before fought side by side

against the Moslems."

"I see that you wear gilded spurs, Sir Ralph," another lady said; "you must
therefore be a dubbed knight?"

"Yes; I had the good fortune to be knighted by D'Aubusson himself, at the
same time that Sir Gervaise was also so honoured. It was for an affair with

the Turkish pirates. It was Gervaise who really won the honour, for I had
no share in the affair, save that of doing my best in the fight."

"And who could do more?" the countess queried.

"Gervaise could do more, Countess, as was shown in that attack on the
corsairs by means of fire ships. He has a head to plan, and, in the case I
speak of, a happy thought of his not only saved the lives of ourselves and

Sir John Boswell, but, indirectly, was the means of preventing two of our
galleys being captured by the corsairs."

"Which is Sir Gervaise?" one of the ladies asked.

Ralph smiled.

"Look round the hall, signoras, and see if any of you can pick him out from
the rest of us."

The ladies looked round the hall.

"There are only about twenty here; the rest are in the other rooms. Do not
set us to work guessing, if he is not in sight, Sir Ralph."