Page 78 - A Knight of the White Cross
P. 78
"We shall manage yet," he exclaimed, and, seizing a blazing brand, he
jumped below and set fire to the sails stowed there; they were as dry as
tinder, and the flame shot up at once.
"That is good, Tresham," the knight said; "but they will put it out before it
has caught the boat."
"Not before it has burnt the sails," Gervaise replied. "Now for this one,"
and he applied the brand to the lower edge of the great sail. Without a word
Sir John seized another brand, and fired the sail on the other side of the
deck. The flames flashed up, and a wild yell of rage and alarm broke from
the pirates, who were now rushing down towards the beach.
"Now to the boat, Tresham; we have no time to lose if we would avoid
being pounded with stones."
They dropped over the stern into the boat. The galley slaves dipped their
oars into the water, and she shot away just as the foremost of the pirates
reached the edge of the water. A few stones were thrown; but the pirates
were so anxious about the craft, by which alone they could escape from the
island, that the majority at once climbed on board.
At a word from the knight, the slaves stopped rowing a hundred yards from
the shore. The sail was already consumed, and the yard and the upper part
of the mast were in flames. A dense smoke was rising from the hold, and
the pirates were throwing buckets of water down into it. In a few minutes
the smoke decreased.
"I thought that they would be able to put it out; but, as far as we are
concerned, it matters little. They have lost their sails, and as I saw but four
sweeps, we can travel five miles to their one. If we find the galleys we will
look in here on our way back, and if they have not left we will fire that craft
more effectually, and then the pirates will be trapped, and we can leave
them till we have fetched off Sir Louis and his prizes, and then have a
grand hunt here. We took no prisoners before, and a hundred slaves will be
a useful addition to our wall builders. Now, Tresham, I have to thank you
