on_ and _La Reine
d'enfer_ were both cleared of the Moors, and our men were steering the
shattered vessel as well as could be done towards _Le Saint Michel_,
which we presently boarded, letting the pirate ship with a hole in its
bottom run away towards La Jaonneuse, a rock on the north-west that
broke her up.

Now I saw that the victory in this sharp sea-battle was already won. For
to right and left the second line, or those vessels that still remained,
had retired, and were bearing away southward. Some five or six of the
first line, that we afterwards overhauled had run aground for safety in
L'Ancresse Bay; and the remnant, about twenty ships in all, drifted with
shattered and broken masts and rigging on to the rocks, on which some
lay foundered already.

So it was with a cheery voice I sang out to Samson d'Anville--

"Lo! the way lies open to the Vale."

And he pointing to the stiff dead bodies floating in the water, and
wiping his sword-blade carefully, cried back--

"So die all pirates, and enemies of the duke in the Norman Seas!"

CHAPTER XVIII.

The story of the relief of _Vale Castle_.

Now, by the ending of our battle before L'Ancresse Bay, the sun was
setting, and for fear of some attack on us as we disembarked, Samson
d'Anville thought it better that, though well in sight of Vale Castle,
that already had lit beacons of joy upon its towers, we should drop
anchor for the night in L'Ancresse Bay.

This we did, and there was much business in our fleet in the repairing
of the damage of the fight. When the tale was made up, but forty
men-at-arms had been lost with some sixty more who had sore damage, and
two of our ships were so disabled that we left them to float upon the
rocks.

From the prow, where I lay down to sleep, I thought of the joy in the
hearts of our brethren and the abbot, and "Oh, Brother Hugo!" I thought,
"now, by God's grace, have I well-nigh fulfilled the task thou gavest
me;" and then sleep drew my eyelids tight, and with no alarm of sea or
enemy, I slept until the morning.

Now, the day that followed has ever been the brightest and the gladdest
of my memories as I have trodden the path of my life. For on that day by
Samson's side I entered Vale gate in very sooth the deliverer of my
friends.

I remember not in what manner that goodly army was disembarked, but well
I know, through the long space it took, my heart burned to be away. But
all was done in the due order of war,