the wind was too strong.
The ships in those days, too, were so high out of the water, and offered
in themselves such a target to the wind, that it was useless to adopt
any other maneuver than to run before it.

For two days and nights the tempest raged.

"What think you," the earl said to the captain, "of our position? Where
are we, and where will the course upon which we are running take us?"

"I cannot say with certainty," the captain said, "for the wind has
shifted several times. I had hoped to gain the shelter of Rhodes, but a
shift of wind bore us away from there, and I much fear that from the
direction in which we have been running we must be very nigh on the
coast of Africa."

"_Peste!_" the earl said. "That would indeed be a speedy end to our
Crusade. These Moors are pirates and cutthroats to a man; and even
should we avoid the risk of being dashed to pieces, we should end our
lives as slaves to one of these black infidels."

Three hours later the captain's prophecies turned out right. Breakers
were seen in various points in front, and with the greatest difficulty
the vessel was steered through an opening between them; but in another
few minutes she struck heavily, one of her masts went over the side, and
she lay fast and immovable. Fortunately, the outside bank of sand acted
as a sort of breakwater; had she struck upon this the good ship would
have gone to pieces instantly; but although the waves still struck her
with considerable force, the captain had good hope that she would not
break up. Darkness came on; the tempest seemed to lull. As there was no
immediate danger, and all were exhausted by the tossing which they had
received during the last forty-eight hours, the crew of the Rose slept
soundly.

In the morning the sun rose brilliantly, and there was no sign of the
great storm which had scattered the fleet of England. The shore was to
be seen at a distance of some four miles. It was low and sandy, with
lofty mountains in the distance. Far inland a white town with minaret
and dome could be seen.

"Know you where we are?" the earl asked.

"As far as I can tell," the captain said, "we have been driven up the
bay called the Little Syrtis--a place full of shoals and shallows, and
abounding with pirates of the worst kind."

"Think you that the ship has suffered injury?"

"Whether she has done so or not," the captain said, "I fear greatly
that she is fast in the sand, and even the lightening of all h