Page 88 - A Knight of the White Cross
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backwards and forwards, discharging their guns into us as they passed,
firing not only shot, but bags of bullets.
"Their gunners were skilful, and, as you see, they have completely riddled
our poop. Twenty knights have been killed, and eleven others are sorely
wounded. Scarce one has escaped unscathed. You may guess, then, how
welcome was your aid, which we had not expected for another three hours.
We were on the point of abandoning the waist and gathering on the poop,
which we could still have defended for a considerable time, when, as if
dropped from the skies, you fell upon the pirates, and turned the tables.
How is it that you were here so early?"
"We started at three o'clock, instead of waiting for daybreak. It seemed,
from the story of the two young knights, that it was possible you might be
attacked early, and, crippled as your command was, and with four prizes on
your hands, I deemed it best to come on as soon as the rowers had had a
few hours' rest."
"It is well that you did so; it would have been a grievous affair had two of
our galleys been captured by the pirates. It would have been a blow to the
prestige of the Order, and would have brought such strength to Hassan Ali
and other pirate leaders that nothing short of sending out a fleet would have
recovered our ascendancy; and as every ducat we can spare has to be spent
on the fortifications, it would have been a misfortune indeed had we been
obliged to fit out such an expedition at present."
"Who have fallen, Sir Louis?"
"Five more of the knights of my galley -- Pierre des Vignes, Raoul de
Montpelier, Ernest Schmidt, Raymond Garcia, and Albert Schenck. Here is
the list of the knights of Santoval's galley."
"'Tis a long list, and a sad one," Piccolomini said, after reading the names.
"With the seven who fell in your first fight, twenty-seven knights have
fallen, all brave comrades. Truly, we can ill spare such a loss. It is true
there are five prizes to show for it, and we have struck Hassan Ali a blow
