d by the grand master himself, whose appearance greatly
heightened the surprise of the English knights. The torches were now
extinguished, the gate thrown open, and the party descended into the
town. Gervaise had purposely fallen in by the side of Harcourt.

"You are but newly arrived, Sir Knight?" the latter said, as they moved
off.

"Not so very newly, Ralph," Gervaise replied.

"What! is it you, Gervaise?" Harcourt exclaimed, with a start of
surprise. "Why, I did not know you, though I looked hard at you in the
torch light. What have you done with yourself? Where have you been? Do
you know what all this is about?"

"I cannot tell you now, Ralph. You must be content to know that I have
been in prison, and working in the galleys."

"The saints defend us! Why, what on earth had you done to entail such
punishment as that? It is an outrage. The grand master and the council
have the right to expel a knight from the Order after due trial and
investigation, but not to condemn him to such penalties as the galleys.
It is an outrage upon the whole Order, and I would say so to the grand
master himself."

"There was no outrage in it, Ralph. Wait until you hear the whole story.
That I have not disgraced you, you may judge from the fact that I am in
the armour and mantle of the Order, and that, as you saw, I came down
with Sir John Kendall himself."

There were no people about in the streets, though the lights still
burned on a few of the roofs. For a short distance the knights marched
down towards the port, and then turned down a street to the right. After
a few minutes' marching they halted under a high wall which all knew to
be that of the prison of St. Pelagius. Six knights were posted at the
main entrance, with orders that none should be allowed to leave the
prison, and that any persons who came up to the gate were to be at once
seized and made prisoners.

The rest marched on to a small door leading into the governor's house.
Here they were halted, and told to wait till called in; six knights of
England, and as many of Auvergne, being told off to accompany the grand
master and Sir John Kendall. A note had been sent to the governor,
informing him that the grand master intended to visit the prison at
eleven o'clock, but that the matter was to be kept an absolute secret;
and that the governor himself was to be down at the gate to admit him.

CHAPTER XI IN COMMAND OF A GALLEY

William Neave, the governor of the p