sts. Soon after the king and his company,
conversing about what they had seen, returned on board their ship, and
the skipper was about to weigh anchor, when it was discovered that one
of the warriors who had gone ashore was missing; and this caused much
excitement.

'I think I can account for this,' said the skipper. 'One of the sailors
was desirous of turning hermit, and I doubt not he has seized so fair an
opportunity.'

Walter Espec and Guy Muschamp exchanged glances. It was Beltran the
renegade, who had thus devoted himself to solitude.

'Well,' said the king, on hearing this, 'let three sacks of biscuit be
left on the shore; the man may find them, and, if so, they will serve
for sustenance.'

Soon after this an accident happened to one of the squires on board the
ship of one of the barons of Provence, which, at the time, was about
half a league from that of the king. One morning, finding, as he lay in
bed, that the sea dashed into his eyes and much annoyed him, he ordered
the squire to stop it up. Having in vain attempted to do so from the
inside, the squire went outside, and was endeavouring to stop the hole,
when his foot dipped and he fell into the sea. The ship kept on her way
without the mariners being aware of what had happened, and as the
squire did not attempt to move, those on board the king's ship thought
some piece of furniture had tumbled overboard. On coming nearer,
however, they perceived that it was a human being, and Walter and Guy,
with some mariners, lowered a boat, rowed to the rescue, and succeeded
in saving him.

On being brought on board the king's ship, the squire related how he met
with the accident, and was asked why he did not endeavour to save
himself by swimming.

'In faith,' answered the squire, 'I had no occasion so to do; for, as I
fell into the sea, I cried, "Our Lady of Valbert!" and she supported me
by the shoulders till I was rescued.'

'In good sooth,' remarked the Lord of Joinville, on hearing this, 'it is
truly marvellous; and, to perpetuate the memory of this miracle, I vow
to have it painted on the windows of my chapel at Joinville, and also on
the windows of the church at Blecourt;' and, on reaching home, the noble
seneschal kept his word.

And now the ships tilted over the waters; and, after a voyage of ten
weeks, they reached the Port of Hieros, in front of a castle which, in
right of his spouse, belonged to the king's brother, the Count of Anjou.
Louis, however