THAT night the Company slept at St. Leonard's, in the greatmonastic barns and spicarium--ground well known both to Alleyneand to John, for they were almost within sight of the Abbey ofBeaulieu. A strange thrill it gave to the young squire to seethe well-remembered white dress once more, and to hear themeasured tolling of the deep vespers bell, At early dawn theypassed across the broad, sluggish, reed-girt stream--men, horses,and baggage in the flat ferry barges--and so journeyed on throughthe fresh morning air past Exbury to Lepe. Topping the heathydown, they came of a sudden full in sight of the old sea-port--acluster of houses, a trail of blue smoke, and a bristle ofmasts. To right and left the long blue curve of the Solentlapped in a fringe of foam upon the yellow beach. Some way outfrom the town a line of pessoners, creyers, and other small craftwere rolling lazily on the gentle swell. Further out still lay agreat merchant-ship, high ended, deep waisted, painted of acanary yellow, and towering above the fishing-boats like a swanamong ducklings.

"By St. Paul!" said the knight, "our good merchant of Southamptonhath not played us false, for methinks I can see our ship downyonder. He said that she would be of great size and of a yellowshade."

"By my hilt, yes!" muttered Aylward; "she is yellow as a kite'sclaw, and would carry as many men as there are pips in apomegranate."

"It is as well," remarked Terlake; "for methinks, my fair lord,that we are not the only ones who are waiting a passage toGascony. Mine eye catches at times a flash and sparkle amongyonder houses which assuredly never came from shipman's jacket orthe gaberdine of a burgher."

"I can also see it," said Alleyne, shading his eyes with hishand. "And I can see men-at-arms in yonder boats which plybetwixt the vessel and the shore. But methinks that we are verywelcome here, for already they come forth to meet us."

A tumultuous crowd of fishermen, citizens, and women had indeedswarmed out from the northern gate, and approached them up theside of the moor, waving their hands and dancing with joy, asthough a great fear had been rolled back from their minds. Attheir head rode a very large and solemn man with a long chin anda drooping lip. He wore a fur tippet round his neck and a heavygold chain over it, with a medallion which dangled in front ofhim.

"Welcome, most puissant and noble lord," he cried, doffing hisbonnet to Black Simon. "I have heard of your lordship's valiantdeeds, and in sooth they might be expected from your lordship'sface and bearing. Is there any small matter in which I mayoblige you?"

"Since you ask me," said the man-at-arms, "I would take it kindlyif you could spare a link or two of the chain which hangs roundyour neck."

"What, the corporation chain!" cried the other in horror. "Theancient chain of the township of Lepe! This is but a sorry jest,Sir Nigel."

"What the plague did you ask me for then?" said Simon. "But ifit is Sir Nigel Loring with whom you would speak, that is he uponthe black horse."

The Mayor of Lepe gazed with amazement on the mild face andslender frame of the famous warrior.

"Your pardon, my gracious lord," he cried. "You see in me themayor and chief magistrate of the ancient and powerful town ofLepe. I bid you very heartily welcome, and the more so as youare come at a moment when we are sore put to it for means ofdefence.'

"Ha!" cried Sir Nigel, pricking up his ears.

"Yes, my lord, for the town being very ancient and the walls asold as the town, it follows that they are very ancient too. Butthere is a certain villainous and bloodthirsty Norman piratehight Tete-noire, who, with a Genoan called Tito Caracci,commonly known as Spade-beard, hath been a mighty scourge uponthese coasts. Indeed, my lord, they are very cruel and black-hearted men, graceless and ruthless, and if they should come tothe ancient and powerful town of Lepe then--"

"Then good-bye to the ancient and powerful town of Lepe," quothFord, whose lightness of tongue could at times rise above his aweof Sir Nigel.

The knight, however, was too much intent upon the matter in handto give heed to the flippancy of his squire. "Have you thencause," he asked, "to think that these men are about to venturean attempt upon you?"

"They have come in two great galleys," answered the mayor, "withtwo bank of oars on either side, and great store of engines ofwar and of men-at-arms. At Weymouth and at Portland they havemurdered and ravished. Yesterday morning they were at Cowes, andwe saw the smoke from the burning crofts. To-day they lie attheir ease near Freshwater, and we fear much lest they come uponus and do us a mischief."

"We cannot tarry," said Sir Nigel, riding towards the town, withthe mayor upon his left side; "the Prince awaits us at Bordeaux,and we may not be behind the general muster. Yet I will promiseyou that on our way we shall find time to pass Freshwater and toprevail upon these rovers to leave you in peace."

"We are much beholden to you!" cried the mayor "But I cannot see,my lord, how, without a war-ship, you may venture against thesemen. With your archers, however, you might well hold the townand do them great scath if they attempt to land."

"There is a very proper cog out yonder," said Sir Nigel, "itwould be a very strange thing if any ship were not a war-shipwhen it had such men as these upon her decks. Certes, we shalldo as I say, and that no later than this very day."

"My lord," said a rough-haired, dark-faced man, who walked by theknight's other stirrup, with his head sloped to catch all that hewas saying. "By your leave, I have no doubt that you are skilledin land fighting and the marshalling of lances, but, by my soul!you will find it another thing upon the sea. I am the master-shipman of this yellow cog, and my name is Goodwin Hawtayne. Ihave sailed since I was as high as this staff, and I have foughtagainst these Normans and against the Genoese, as well as theScotch, the Bretons, the Spanish, and the Moors. I tell you,sir, that my ship is over light and over frail for such work, andit will but end in our having our throats cut, or being sold asslaves to the Barbary heathen."

"I also have experienced one or two gentle and honorable venturesupon the sea," quoth Sir Nigel, "and I am right blithe to have sofair a task before us. I think, good master-shipman, that youand I may win great honor in this matter, and I can see veryreadily that you are a brave and stout man."

"I like it not," said the other sturdily. "In God's name, I likeit not. And yet Goodwin Hawtayne is not the man to stand backwhen his fellows are for pressing forward. By my soul! be itsink or swim, I shall turn her beak into Freshwater Bay, and ifgood Master Witherton, of Southampton, like not my handling ofhis ship then he may find another master-shipman."

They were close by the old north gate of the little town, andAlleyne, half turning in his saddle, looked back at the motleycrowd who followed. The bowmen and men-at-arms had broken theirranks and were intermingled with the fishermen and citizens,whose laughing faces and hearty gestures bespoke the weight ofcare from which this welcome arrival had relieved them. Here andthere among the moving throng of dark jerkins and of whitesurcoats were scattered dashes of scarlet and blue, the whimplesor shawls of the women. Aylward, with a fishing lass on eitherarm, was vowing constancy alternately to her on the right and heron the leit, while big John towered in the rear with a littlechubby maiden enthroned upon his great shoulder, her soft whitearm curled round his shining headpiece. So the throng moved on,until at the very gate it was brought to a stand by a wondrouslyfat man, who came darting forth from the town with rage in everyfeature of his rubicund face.

"How now, Sir Mayor?" he roared, in a voice like a bull. "Hownow, Sir Mayor? How of the clams and the scallops?"

"By Our Lady! my sweet Sir Oliver," cried the mayor. "I have hadso much to think of, with these wicked villains so close upon us,that it had quite gone out of my head."

"Words, words!" shouted the other furiously. "Am I to be put offwith words? I say to you again, how of the clams and scallops?"

"My fair sir, you flatter me," cried the mayor. "I am a peacefultrader, and I am not wont to be so shouted at upon so small amatter."

"Small!" shrieked the other. "Small! Clams and scallops! Ask meto your table to partake of the dainty of the town, and when Icome a barren welcome and a bare board! Where is my spear-bearer?"

"Nay, Sir Oliver, Sir Oliver!" cried Sir Nigel, laughing.

Let your anger be appeased, since instead of this dish you comeupon an old friend and comrade."

"By St. Martin of Tours!" shouted the fat knight, his wrath allchanged in an instant to joy, "if it is not my dear little gamerooster of the Garonne. Ah, my sweet coz, I am right glad to seeyou. What days we have seen together!"

"Aye, by my faith," cried Sir Nigel, with sparkling eyes, "wehave seen some valiant men, and we have shown our pennons in somenoble skirmishes. By St. Paul! we have had great joys inFrance."

"And sorrows also," quoth the other. "I have some sad memoriesof the land. Can you recall that which befell us at Libourne?"

"Nay, I cannot call to mind that we ever so much as drew sword atthe place."

"Man, man," cried Sir Oliver, "your mind still runs on nought butblades and bassinets. Hast no space in thy frame for the softerjoys. Ah, even now I can scarce speak of it unmoved. So noble apie, such tender pigeons, and sugar in the gravy instead of salt!You were by my side that day, as were Sir Claude Latour and theLord of Pommers."

"I remember it," said Sir Nigel, laughing, "and how you harriedthe cook down the street, and spoke of setting fire to the inn.By St. Paul! most worthy mayor, my old friend is a perilous man,and I rede you that you compose your difference with him on suchterms as you may."

"The clams and scallops shall be ready within the hour," themayor answered. "I had asked Sir Oliver Buttesthorn to do myhumble board the honor to partake at it of the dainty upon whichwe take some little pride, but in sooth this alarm of pirateshath cast such a shadow on my wits that I am like one distrait.But I trust, Sir Nigel, that you will also partake of none-meatwith me?"

"I have overmuch to do," Sir Nigel answered, "for we must beaboard, horse and man, as early as we may. How many do youmuster, Sir Oliver?"

"Three and forty. The forty are drunk, and the three are butindifferent sober. I have them all safe upon the ship."

"They had best find their wits again, for I shall have work forevery man of them ere the sun set. It is my intention, if itseems good to you, to try a venture against these Norman andGenoese rovers."

"They carry caviare and certain very noble spices from the Levantaboard of ships from Genoa," quoth Sir Oliver. "We may come togreat profit through the business. I pray you, master-shipman,that when you go on board you pour a helmetful of sea-water overany of my rogues whom you may see there."

Leaving the lusty knight and the Mayor of Lepe, Sir Nigel led theCompany straight down to the water's edge, where long lines offlat lighters swiftly bore them to their vessel. Horse afterhorse was slung by main force up from the barges, and afterkicking and plunging in empty air was dropped into the deep waistof the yellow cog, where rows of stalls stood ready for theirsafe keeping. Englishmen in those days were skilled and promptin such matters, for it was so not long before that Edward hadembarked as many as fifty thousand men in the port of Orwell,with their horses and their baggage, all in the space of four-and-twenty hours. So urgent was Sir Nigel on the shore, and soprompt was Goodwin Hawtayne on the cog, that Sir OliverButtesthorn had scarce swallowed his last scallop ere the peal ofthe trumpet and clang of nakir announced that all was ready andthe anchor drawn. In the last boat which left the shore the twocommanders sat together in the sheets, a strange contrast to oneanother, while under the feet of the rowers was a litter of hugestones which Sir Nigel had ordered to be carried to the cog.These once aboard, the ship set her broad mainsail, purple incolor, and with a golden St. Christopher bearing Christ upon hisshoulder in the centre of it. The breeze blew, the sail bellied,over heeled the portly vessel, and away she plunged through thesmooth blue rollers, amid the clang of the minstrels on her poopand the shouting of the black crowd who fringed the yellow beach.To the left lay the green Island of Wight, with its long, low,curving hills peeping over each other's shoulders to the sky-line; to the right the wooded Hampshire coast as far as eye couldreach; above a steel-blue heaven, with a wintry sun shimmeringdown upon them, and enough of frost to set the breath a-smoking.

"By St. Paul!" said Sir Nigel gayly, as he stood upon the poopand looked on either side of him, "it is a land which is verywell worth fighting for, and it were pity to go to France forwhat may be had at home. Did you not spy a crooked man upon thebeach?"

"Nay, I spied nothing," grumbled Sir Oliver, "for I was hurrieddown with a clam stuck in my gizzard and an untasted goblet ofCyprus on the board behind me."

"I saw him, my fair lord," said Terlake, "an old man with oneshoulder higher than the other."

" 'Tis a sign of good fortune," quoth Sir Nigel. "Our path wasalso crossed by a woman and by a priest, so all should be wellwith us. What say you, Edricson?"

"I cannot tell, my fair lord. The Romans of old were a very wisepeople, yet, certes, they placed their faith in such matters.So, too, did the Greeks, and divers other ancient peoples whowere famed for their learning. Yet of the moderns there are manywho scoff at all omens."

"There can be no manner of doubt about it," said Sir OliverButtesthorn, "I can well remember that in Navarre one day itthundered on the left out of a cloudless sky. We knew that illwould come of it, nor had we long to wait. Only thirteen daysafter, a haunch of prime venison was carried from my very tentdoor by the wolves, and on the same day two flasks of old vernageturned sour and muddy."

"You may bring my harness from below," said Sir Nigel to hissquires, "and also, I pray you, bring up Sir Oliver's and weshall don it here. Ye may then see to your own gear; for thisday you will, I hope, make a very honorable entrance into thefield of chivalry, and prove yourselves to be very worthy andvaliant squires. And now, Sir Oliver, as to our dispositions:would it please you that I should order them or will you?"

"You, my cockerel, you. By Our Lady! I am no chicken, but Icannot claim to know as much of war as the squire of Sir WalterManny. Settle the matter to your own liking."

"You shall fly your pennon upon the fore part, then, and I uponthe poop. For foreguard I shall give you your own forty men,with two-score archers. Two-score men, with my own men-at-armsand squires, will serve as a poop-guard. Ten archers, withthirty shipmen, under the master, may hold the waist while tenlie aloft with stones and arbalests. How like you that?"

"Good, by my faith, good! But here comes my harness, and I mustto work, for I cannot slip into it as I was wont when first I setmy face to the wars."

Meanwhile there had been bustle and preparation in all parts ofthe great vessel. The archers stood in groups about the decks,new-stringing their bows, and testing that they were firm at thenocks. Among them moved Aylward and other of the older soldiers,with a few whispered words of precept here and of warning there.

"Stand to it, my hearts of gold," said the old bowman as hepassed from knot to knot. "By my hilt! we are in luck thisjourney. Bear in mind the old saying of the Company."

"What is that, Aylward?" cried several, leaning on their bows andlaughing at him.

" 'Tis the master-bowyer's rede: 'Every bow well bent. Everyshaft well sent. Every stave well nocked. Every string welllocked.' There, with that jingle in his head, a bracer on hisleft hand, a shooting glove on his right, and a farthing's-worthof wax in his girdle, what more doth a bowman need?"

"It would not be amiss," said Hordle John, "if under his girdlehe had tour farthings'-worth of wine."

"Work first, wine afterwards, mon camarade. But it is time thatwe took our order, for methinks that between the Needle rocks andthe Alum cliffs yonder I can catch a glimpse of the topmasts ofthe galleys. Hewett, Cook, Johnson, Cunningham, your men are ofthe poop-guard. Thornbury, Walters, Hackett, Baddlesmere, youare with Sir Oliver on the forecastle. Simon, you bide with yourlord's banner; but ten men must go forward."

Quietly and promptly the men took their places, lying flat upontheir faces on the deck, for such was Sir Nigel's order. Nearthe prow was planted Sir Oliver's spear, with his arms--a boar'shead gules upon a field of gold. Close by the stern stood BlackSimon with the pennon of the house of Loring. In the waistgathered the Southampton mariners, hairy and burly men, withtheir jerkins thrown off, their waists braced tight, swords,mallets, and pole-axes in their hands. Their leader, GoodwinHawtayne, stood upon the poop and talked with Sir Nigel, castinghis eye up sometimes at the swelling sail, and then glancingback at the two seamen who held the tiller.

"Pass the word," said Sir Nigel, "that no man shall stand to armsor draw his bow-string until my trumpeter shall sound. It wouldbe well that we should seem to be a merchant-ship fromSouthampton and appear to flee from them."

"We shall see them anon," said the master-shipman. "Ha, said Inot so? There they lie, the water-snakes, in Freshwater Bay; andmark the reek of smoke from yonder point, where they have been attheir devil's work. See how their shallops pull from the land!They have seen us and called their men aboard. Now they drawupon the anchor. See them like ants upon the forecastle! Theystoop and heave like handy ship men. But, my fair lord, theseare no niefs. I doubt but we have taken in hand more than we cando. Each of these ships is a galeasse, and of the largest andswiftest make."

"I would I had your eyes," said Sir Nigel, blinking at the pirategalleys. "They seem very gallant ships, and I trust that weshall have much pleasance from our meeting with them. It wouldbe well to pass the word that we should neither give nor takequarter this day. Have you perchance a priest or friar aboardthis ship, Master Hawtayne?"

"No, my fair lord."

"Well, well, it is no great matter for my Company, for they wereall houseled and shriven ere we left Twynham Castle; and FatherChristopher of the Priory gave me his word that they were as fitto march to heaven as to Gascony. But my mind misdoubts me as tothese Winchester men who have come with Sir Oliver, for theyappear to be a very ungodly crew. Pass the word that the menkneel, and that the under-officers repeat to them the pater, theave, and the credo."

With a clank of arms, the rough archers and seamen took to theirknees, with bent heads and crossed hands, listening to the hoarsemutter from the file-leaders. It was strange to mark the hush;so that the lapping of the water, the straining of the sail, andthe creaking of the timbers grew louder of a sudden upon the ear.Many of the bowmen had drawn amulets and relics from theirbosoms, while he who possessed some more than usually sanctifiedtreasure passed it down the line of his comrades, that all mightkiss and reap the virtue.

The yellow cog had now shot out from the narrow waters of theSolent, and was plunging and rolling on the long heave of theopen channel. The wind blew freshly from the east, with a verykeen edge to it; and the great sail bellied roundly out, layingthe vessel over until the water hissed beneath her lee bulwarks.Broad and ungainly, she floundered from wave to wave, dipping herround bows deeply into the blue rollers, and sending the whiteflakes of foam in a spatter over her decks. On her larboardquarter lay the two dark galleys, which had already hoisted sail,and were shooting out from Freshwater Bay in swift pursuit, theirdouble line of oars giving them a vantage which could not fail tobring them up with any vessel which trusted to sails alone. Highand bluff the English cog; long, black and swift the pirategalleys, like two fierce lean wolves which have seen a lordlyand unsuspecting stag walk past their forest lair.

"Shall we turn, my fair lord, or shall we carry on?" asked themaster-shipman, looking behind him with anxious eyes.

"Nay, we must carry on and play the part of the helplessmerchant."

"But your pennons? They will see that we have two knights withus."

"Yet it would not be to a knight's honor or good name to lowerhis pennon. Let them be, and they will think that we are a wine-ship for Gascony, or that we bear the wool-bales of some mercerof the Staple. Ma foi, but they are very swift! They swoop uponus like two goshawks on a heron. Is there not some symbol ordevice upon their sails?"

"That on the right," said Edricson, "appears to have the head ofan Ethiop upon it."

" 'Tis the badge of Tete-noire, the Norman," cried a seaman-mariner. "I have seen it before, when he harried us atWinchelsea. He is a wondrous large and strong man, with no ruthfor man, woman, or beast. They say that he hath the strength ofsix; and, certes, he hath the crimes of six upon his soul. See,now, to the poor souls who swing at either end of his yard-arm!"

At each end of the yard there did indeed hang the dark figure ofa man, jolting and lurching with hideous jerkings of its limbs atevery plunge and swoop of the galley.

"By St. Paul!" said Sir Nigel, "and by the help of St. George andOur Lady, it will be a very strange thing if our black-headedfriend does not himself swing thence ere he be many hours older.But what is that upon the other galley?"

"It is the red cross of Genoa. This Spade-beard is a very notedcaptain, and it is his boast that there are no seamen and noarchers in the world who can compare with those who serve theDoge Boccanegra."

"That we shall prove," said Goodwin Hawtayne; "but it would bewell, ere they close with us, to raise up the mantlets andpavises as a screen against their bolts." He shouted a hoarseorder, and his seamen worked swiftly and silently, heighteningthe bulwarks and strengthening them. The three ship's anchorswere at Sir Nigel's command carried into the waist, and tied tothe mast, with twenty feet of cable between, each under the careof four seamen. Eight others were stationed with leather water-bags to quench any fire-arrows which might come aboard, whileothers were sent up the mast, to lie along the yard and dropstones or shoot arrows as the occasion served.

"Let them be supplied with all that is heavy and weighty in theship," said Sir Nigel.

"Then we must send them up Sir Oliver Buttesthorn," quoth Ford.

The knight looked at him with a face which struck the smile fromhis lips. "No squire of mine," he said, "shall ever make jest ofa belted knight. And yet," he added, his eyes softening, "I knowthat it is but a boy's mirth, with no sting in it. Yet I shouldill do my part towards your father if I did not teach you to curbyour tongue-play."

"They will lay us aboard on either quarter, my lord," cried themaster. "See how they stretch out from each other! The Normanhath a mangonel or a trabuch upon the forecastle. See, they bendto the levers! They are about to loose it."

"Aylward," cried the knight, "pick your three trustiest archers,and see if you cannot do something to hinder their aim. Methinksthey are within long arrow flight."

"Seventeen score paces," said the archer, running his eyebackwards and forwards. By my ten finger-bones! it would be astrange thing if we could not notch a mark at that distance.Here, Watkin of Sowley, Arnold, Long Williams, let us show therogues that they have English bowmen to deal with."

The three archers named stood at the further end of the poop,balancing themselves with feet widely spread and bows drawn,until the heads of the cloth-yard arrows were level with thecentre of the stave. "You are the surer, Watkin," said Aylward,standing by them with shaft upon string. "Do you take the roguewith the red coif. You two bring down the man with the head-piece, and I will hold myself ready if you miss. Ma foi! theyare about to loose her. Shoot, mes garcons, or you will be toolate."

The throng of pirates had cleared away from the great woodencatapult, leaving two of their number to discharge it. One in ascarlet cap bent over it, steadying the jagged rock which wasbalanced on the spoon-shaped end of the long wooden lever. Theother held the loop of the rope which would release the catch andsend the unwieldy missile hurtling through the air. So for aninstant they stood, showing hard and clear against the white sailbehind them. The next, redcap had fallen across the stone withan arrow between his ribs; and the other, struck in the leg andin the throat, was writhing and spluttering upon the ground. Ashe toppled backwards he had loosed the spring, and the huge beamof wood, swinging round with tremendous force, cast the corpse ofhis comrade so close to the English ship that its mangled anddistorted limbs grazed their very stern. As to the stone, itglanced off obliquely and fell midway between the vessels. Aroar of cheering and of laughter broke from the rough archers andseamen at the sight, answered by a yell of rage from theirpursuers.

"Lie low, mes enfants," cried Aylward, motioning with his lefthand. "They will learn wisdom. They are bringing forward shieldand mantlet. We shall have some pebbles about our ears erelong."