loudly proclaiming, on his brazen horn, the greatest
rewards to whoever would slay the Monster Pongo, who was ravaging the
country.

They stopped him and told him that they had slain the monster. On this,
after they had shown him where the brute lay, the herald conducted them
to the Court of the King, who received them with unbounded joy, and
loaded them with honours.

Now it had happened, that, while the Monster Pongo was ravaging the
country, and the King and all his Court, and ministers, and generals,
and his army were distracted and entirely beside themselves, a band of
pirates, led by a noted chief, had landed on their shores, and carried
off the fair and young daughter of the King, the Princess Urania.

No sooner did the young Knights hear the tale, than they offered to go
in search of her, as a work worthy of their arms. In a stout vessel,
rowed by sturdy men, they set forth. Many tempests they met with, and
much were they tossed about by the waves. Little did they think at the
time that their honoured sire and his six friends, the other Champions
of Christendom, were likewise making a long voyage, and were the sport
of the winds and waves; the only powers, indeed, which could make sport
of such doughty Knights. Weeks had passed away, and still they were
ploughing the waves, and wishing that Britannia, when she was about it,
had ruled them straighter, when they perceived, at a distance, several
vessels.

They made towards them. A desperate combat was taking place, and fierce
pirates, with burning torches in their hands, were endeavouring to set
fire to the barks of their opponents.

On the deck of one of them, yet at a little distance, who should they
behold but two of the great Champions of Christendom, their honoured
father, Saint George, and his dear friend, Saint Andrew, standing calm
and undismayed, waiting the time for their vessel to approach near
enough to take part in the combat. As they guessed, rightly, the rest
of the Champions lay on their couches below, overcome by the power of
the sea, wishing themselves safe on dry land again, and caring very
little whether they then and there went to the bottom.

Instantly the three young Knights, urging on their bark, threw
themselves on the pirates, whom, after a desperate combat, they
compelled to surrender; many having leaped overboard, and others having
been slain. One of the pirate vessels was almost in a sinking state. A
cry proceeded from