ps could be clearly made out from the
deck, but the pilot judged them to be fully ten miles away. Half an hour
later the slaves were told to cease rowing. Gervaise had ordered the
cooks to prepare them a good meal, and this was at once served, together
with a full ration of wine. As soon as they had consumed it, they were
told to lie down and sleep, as at one o'clock the galley would be again
under way.

The knights' supper was served below, as lights on the poop might be
made out, should a lookout be placed by the corsairs in their tops.

"We had better follow the example of the galley slaves," Gervaise said,
rising as soon as the meal was finished, "and, with the exception of
Spain, who is on watch, turn in to sleep till we are off again. All of
you will, of course, don your armour on rising."

At the appointed hour the galley was again under way. There was not a
breath of air, and before starting, pieces of cloth were wrapped round
the oars at the rowlocks to deaden the sound, which might otherwise have
been heard at a considerable distance on so still a night. After an hour
and a half's rowing, the knight on the lookout said that he could see a
light some distance ahead. The pilot, an experienced old sailor, joined
him, and speedily descended to the poop again.

"It is a ship's light," he said. "I should say that it was a lantern on
board the ship of the captain of the expedition, and is shown to enable
the other two to keep near him. I cannot say how far it is away, for
I do not know at what height it hangs above the water; but I should
imagine, from the feebleness of the light, that it must be some two
miles distant."

As soon as the light had been noticed, the slaves had been ordered to
cease rowing, and they were now told that they would not be required
again for fully two hours. When the first gleam of dawn appeared in
the east they were called to their work again. The lantern was still
burning, and, in a quarter of an hour, the knights on the poop were
able, in the broadening light, to make out three shadowy forms some
two miles ahead of them. They decreased this distance by more than half
before they could discern any signs of life or motion on board. Then
a sudden stir was apparent; they could hear shouts from one vessel to
another, oars were thrust out, and an effort made to get the heads of
the ships in the same direction, so as to catch the light breeze that
had just sprung up.

The moment he saw t