r over with Ralph, and they agreed
that a strongly manned craft of this kind would go faster than any of
those they had taken, and that, moreover, it would be a pity to weaken
their force by sending one of the prizes away. Having seen them off,
Gervaise retired to the cabin and threw himself down for a short sleep,
leaving the knights who had been off watch during the night, to see
that all went well. In two hours he was roused. A native craft had come
alongside with Sir Fabricius Caretto.

"I think she is just the craft for us," the knight said, as Gervaise
came on deck. "She belongs to a large fishing village just round the
point to the left. There were several boats there, but the villagers all
said that this was the speediest vessel anywhere along the coast. She
belongs to two brothers, who, with four men, constitute her regular
crew; but I have arranged for twelve others to go in her, in order that
they may row her along at a good pace if the wind falls light."

"Are your companions come off yet?"

"No; but we can hoist a flag for their recall."

"Do so. I shall be greatly obliged if you will undertake this mission to
the seaports. It needs one of name and rank to speak with the nobles and
officials authoritatively."

"I will gladly do so, Sir Gervaise. Give me your instructions, and you
can rely upon my carrying them out."

"I thank you greatly, Sir Fabricius, and shall be glad if you will take
with you any two of the knights you may select. I have to write letters
for you to deliver to the authorities at Naples, Pisa, and Genoa. I
shall write but briefly, and leave you to explain matters more fully. I
shall merely say that I have intelligence of the arrival here of a fleet
of Moorish corsairs, of whose strength I am ignorant, but that assuredly
their intention is to make a raid on the commerce of the coast, and
perhaps to land at unprotected places. At Ostia, after warning the
authorities to send orders along the coast for the inhabitants to be on
their guard, pray them to carry word at once to Rome, and request his
Holiness the Pope to order some armed galleys to put to sea as soon
as possible. Beg them at Naples and Pisa to do the same thing. But of
course it is from Genoa that we must hope for the most assistance.

"In each place you will, if possible, see the syndic himself, and such
of his council as can be got quickly together. The moment you have done
all you can at Genoa sail for the Island of Mada