Page 77 - A Knight of the White Cross

turned and fled. The fishing craft had been run ashore but a few yards from
their boat.

"Get her afloat, Harcourt, and bring her to the stern of the fisherman. Now,

Tresham, follow me."

Sir John Boswell climbed up on to the fishing boat, which was a craft of

some fifteen tons burden. She was entirely deserted, but the sail still hung
from the yard, and a fire was burning on a stone hearth, raised on some logs

of wood in the centre of the deck.

"Look for something to stave in a plank, Tresham."

Gervaise leapt down into the hold. There were some nets and spare sails

lying there, but nothing that would answer the purpose. He examined the
planks. The boat was very strongly and roughly built.

"There is nothing here, Sir John, that will do, and nothing short of a heavy
sledge hammer would suffice to smash one of these planks."

"There are a lot of them coming down the hill, Tresham. We have not many
minutes to spare, but we must disable the craft. They will soon be after us

again; they have run her hard and fast here, but when they all come back
they will soon get her off. Let us try one of these sweeps."

He lifted one of the heavy oars, and holding it upright he and Gervaise
together tried to drive the handle through the bottom. Again and again they

raised it and drove it down; but the plank was too strong, and too securely
fastened to the timbers.

"We must give it up," the knight said, with a sigh. "Fortune has befriended
us so far, Tresham, but she has deserted us at last. Another three minutes,

and we shall have thirty or forty of them upon us."

At this moment the lad's eye fell upon the fire.