," cried alleyne, vainly struggling to

break from the other's hold.

"bide here, man. you would need wings ere you could reach sir

nigel's side."

the vessels were indeed so far apart now that the genoese could

use the full sweep of their oars, and draw away rapidly from the

cog.

"my god, but it is a noble fight!" shouted big john, clapping his

hands. "they have cleared the poop, and they spring into the

waist. well struck, my lord! well struck, aylward! see to

black simon, how he storms among the shipmen! but this spade-

beard is a gallant warrior. he rallies his men upon the

forecastle. he hath slain an archer. ha! my lord is upon him.

look to it, alleyne! see to the whirl and glitter of it!"

"by heaven, sir nigel is down!" cried the squire.

"up!" roared john. "it was but a feint. he bears him back. he

drives him to the side. ah, by our lady, his sword is through

him! they cry for mercy. down goes the red cross, and up

springs simon with the scarlet roses!"

the death of the genoese leader did indeed bring the resistance

to an end. amid a thunder of cheering from cog and from galleys

the forked pennon fluttered upon the forecastle, and the galley,

sweeping round, came slowly back, as the slaves who rowed it

learned the wishes of their new masters.

the two knights had come aboard the cog, and the grapplings

having been thrown off, the three vessels now moved abreast

through all the storm and rush of the fight alleyne had been

aware of the voice of goodwin hawtayne, the master-shipman, with

his constant "hale the bowline! veer the sheet!" and strange it

was to him to see how swiftly the blood-stained sailors turned

from the strife to the ropes and back. now the cog's head was

turned francewards, and the shipman walked the deck, a peaceful

master-mariner once more.

there is sad scath done to the cog, sir nigel," said he. "here

is a hole in the side two ells across, the sail split through the

centre, and the wood as bare as a friar's poll. in good sooth, i

know not what i shall say to master witherton when i see the

itchen once more."

"by st. paul! it would be a very sorry thing if we suffered you

to be the worse of this day's work," said sir nigel. "you shall

take these galleys back with you, and master witherton may sell

them. then from the moneys he shall take as much as may make

good the damage, and the rest he shall keep until our home-

coming, when every man shall have his share. an image of silver

fifteen inches high i have vowed to the virgin, to be placed in

her chapel within the priory, for that she was pleased to allow

me to come upon this spade-beard, who seemed to me from what i

have seen of him to be a very sprightly and valiant gentleman.

but how fares it with you, edricson?"

"it is nothing, my fair lord," said alleyne, who had now loosened

his bassinet, which was cracked across by the norman's blow.

even as he spoke, however, his head swirled round, and he fell to

the deck with the blood gushing from his nose and mouth.

"he will come to anon," said the knight, stooping over him and

passing his fingers through his hair. "i have lost one very

valiant and gentle squire this day. i can ill afford to lose

another. how many men have fallen?"

"i have pricked off the tally," said aylward, who had come aboard

with his lord. "there are seven of the winchester men, eleven

seamen, your squire, young master terlake, and nine archers."

"and of the others?"

"they are all dead--save only the norman knight who stands behind

you. what would you that we should do with him?"

"he must hang on his own yard," said sir nigel. "it was my vow

and must be done."

the pirate leader had stood by the bulwarks, a cord round his

arms, and two stout archers on either side. at sir nigel's words

he started violently, and his swarthy features blanched to a

livid gray.

"how, sir knight?" he cried in broken english. "que ditesvous?

to hang, le mort du chien! to hang!"

"it is my vow," said sir nigel shortly. "from what i hear, you

thought little enough of hanging others."

"peasants, base roturiers," cried the other. "it is their

fitting death. mais le seigneur d'andelys, avec le sang des rois

dans ses veins! c'est incroyable!"

sir nigel turned upon his heel, while two seamen cast a noose

over the pirate's neck. at the touch of the cord he snapped the

bonds which bound him, dashed one of the archers to the deck, and

seizing the other round the waist sprang with him into the sea.

"by my hilt, he is gone!" cried aylward, rushing to the side.

"they have sunk together like a stone."

"i am right glad of it," answered sir nigel; "for though it was

against my vow to loose him, i deem that he has carried himself

like a very gentle and debonnaire cavalier."

chapter xv