their way half along the poop when a yell of exultation rose from the
corsairs as the third of their vessels rowed up on the other side of the
galley, and her crew sprang on board it. Gervaise called the knights of
the second line from their places, and ranged them along the bulwark, to
prevent the Moors from boarding from the poop of the galley.

Then for a moment he looked round. The prize was creeping up, and was a
length or two away, coming up alongside. Its approach was also noticed
by the pirates, who, with wild shouts, flung themselves upon their
opponents. Gervaise sprang forward to take the place of a young Italian
knight, who staggered back, with his helmet cleft by a heavy blow from
the keen yataghan of the pirate captain. The corsair, shouting his war
cry of "Allah!" sprang with the bound of a wild cat upon Gervaise; his
weapon descended on his uplifted guard, and shore right through the
stout blade. With a shout of triumph, the corsair raised his arm to
repeat the blow; but Gervaise in turn sprang forward, and struck with
all his force with the pommel of his sword on the forehead of his
opponent. The latter fell as if shot, his weapon dropping from his hand
beside him.

Dismayed at the fall of their leader, his followers recoiled for a
moment. Another tall pirate sprang forward to take his place, and,
shouting to them to follow, was about to throw himself upon Gervaise,
when a gun crashed out close alongside. A storm of iron swept away the
front line of Moors, and the shout of "St. John!" "St. John!" rose above
the din. It was one of the bow guns of the prize, and as she swept along
gun after gun poured its contents among the pirates.

"Do you clear the galley, Ralph. We can manage here now," Gervaise said,
as Ralph leapt on board. The latter, followed by his party of knights,
rushed across the poop, and sprang on to the galley among the pirates,
who had been striving in vain to break through the line of defenders.
Gervaise called to his party to follow him, and, taking the offensive,
fell upon the remnant of the corsairs who still held the forward end of
the poop.

The discharge of the cannon at such close quarters had wrought terrible
havoc among them, and the pirates, with but slight resistance, turned,
and either ran down the ladder or leapt into the water. The knights
followed them forward among the benches of the rowers, who cheered
loudly in many tongues as they passed them. At the forecastle the