and ladies of Genoa!"

Some of the young knights laughed, others coloured hotly.

"They need not be ashamed of the feeling," Caretto said. "Is it not the
ardent desire of all true knights to do gallant deeds, and do they not
value above all things the guerdon of applause from the fair eyes of
ladies. Your comrades have performed the gallant deeds, and well deserve
the reward. Now, Sir Gervaise, if not for this reason, at any rate for
the others that have been brought forward, I suppose we are all agreed
that we sail for Genoa. For our part we are heartily glad that such
is your decision. We, and the young knights of our langue, have many
friends there, and in their name I am sure I can promise you a reception
as hearty and sincere as that which we shall ourselves receive."

It was settled that the rescued captives should be divided equally
among the thirteen prizes, and that three knights should go in each. The
Moorish captives were also divided equally among them, to aid with the
sails, and to row a few oars, in case of a dead calm setting in. The
commands were distributed according to seniority, the three rescued
Italian knights remaining on board the Santa Barbara with Gervaise.

The Sards were anxious to return to their villages, in order to carry
the news that several hundreds of Moorish pirates had landed.

"We shall have great trouble with them," one of the young fishermen,
who spoke a little Italian, said to Gervaise. "There are always a great
number of swine, and herds of goats, up among the forests on the hills.
We must send up and drive in as many of these as possible, and of course
we shall send messengers to Tempe; but it will need a very large force
to combat these pirates, who will be able to come down and plunder
and destroy, and then retire to the hills, whence it will be hard to
dislodge them."

"I am sorry indeed that such trouble should have been caused to you,"
Gervaise replied; "but I am afraid that I can give you no assistance."

"We shall hunt them down in time," the Sard said confidently.

"There are many villages scattered about Tempe, and what with us
fishermen, and the woodmen and charcoal burners, we shall soon get a
strong body together. Besides, we know the mountains, and they do not."

"I should say that you had best avoid a pitched battle with them, but
keep on harassing them by night and day, cutting off all who separate
themselves from the main body, until at last they are com