Page 46 - A Knight of the White Cross

pallet for you. Of course, you can go down with us if you like."

"Thank you, I would much rather stay here. Every one would be strange to
me, and having nothing to do I should feel in the way."

The boys nodded, and taking their caps ran off, while Gervaise, tired by the
excitement of the day, lay down on the bed which a servant brought up a

few minutes after they had left him, and slept soundly until their return.

"I think I have been asleep," he said, starting up when they entered the
room again.

"You look as if you had, anyhow," De Lille laughed. "It was the best thing
you could do. We have brought up supper. We generally sit down and eat

after the knights have done, but this is much better, as you are here." They
sat down on the beds, carved the pasty with their daggers, and after they
had finished Gervaise gladly accepted the proposal of the others to take a

walk round the walls.

They started from the corner of the castle looking down upon the spit of
land dividing the two ports.

"You see," De Lille said, "there is a row of small islands across the mouth
of the outer port, and the guns of St. Nicholas, and those on this wall,

would prevent any hostile fleet from entering."

"I hardly see what use that port is, for it lies altogether outside the town,

and vessels could not unload there."

"No. Still, it forms a useful place of refuge. In case a great fleet came to
attack us, our galleys would lay up in the inner port, which would be
cleared of all the merchant craft, as these would hamper the defence; they

would, therefore, be sent round into the outer port, where they would be
safe from any attack by sea, although they would doubtless be burnt did an

army besiege the town."