ys was
in the next bay, they were ready enough to aid in any plan for their
destruction, for they knew well enough that some of them would be sure
to make raids all along the coast, sacking and burning, and carrying off
men, women, and children, as slaves. I said I only wanted two men for
each craft, but so many were willing to come that I have some thirty
more than the number I asked for, and we can divide these among us. They
are strong, active looking fellows."

"We will keep them here then, Ralph. You see, there are one-and-twenty
of our knights in the three prizes, and as we lost two in the
capture, and four others are not fit to put on armour, we have but
six-and-twenty, and the addition will be very welcome. What are they
armed with?"

"They have bows and arrows, and long pikes and axes."

"Good. Have you managed to collect any more arms?"

"Yes. The people are all charcoal burners and woodmen in winter, and
I was therefore able to get together some thirty or forty axes and
hatchets, which will be ample, with the arms we took from the Moors, to
equip the ninety Christians."

"I think we can depend upon these for fighting, Ralph."

"I don't think there is any doubt about that. A few of them are pretty
well worn out with labour and suffering, but all have gained strength
and spirits greatly in the past week, and you may be sure that they
will fight to the death rather than run the risk of another turn in the
galleys."

"And have you got the stuff to make the mantles?"

"Yes. There was plenty of the coarse black cloth which they wear in
summer--in winter, of course, they are clad in sheepskins; and I have
sufficient white cotton cloth to make the crosses."

"We have only one thing to wish for now, Ralph, and that is, that the
corsairs may not take it into their heads to sail tomorrow. Fosco will
bring me news at daybreak, and we will at once send another boat off to
watch the mouth of the bay when he leaves it. If they sail, we cannot
venture to attack them as long as they keep together, the odds are far
too heavy, and our only plan will be to follow them at a distance, when
we can just keep their upper sails in sight, and then to attack any
detachment that may separate from the main body."

"I hope it will not come to that, Gervaise. It would be hard indeed,
when you have devised such a splendid plan, and we have got everything
ready to carry it out, if they were to give us the slip. Do the others
know