Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-21
THE WHITE COMPANY
BY A. CONAN DOYLE.
CHAPTER XV-Continued.


CHAPTER XV-Continued.
| by st. Paulr said Sir Nigel, gayly, las he
| stood upon the poop and looked on either
| side of him, 'it is a land which is very well
| worth fighting for. and it were pity to go
| to France for what may be had at home
| Did you not spy a crooked man upon the
| beach?'
| Nay, 1 spied nothing" grumbIed Sir
Oliver, "for / was hurried down with a
| clam stuck in my gizzard and an UNLISTED
| goblet of Cyprus on the board behind me-
II saw him, my fair lord" said -1'erlake;
IAN old man with one shoulder higher than
the other"
Tis a sign of good fortune quoth Sir
Nigel Our path was also crossed by a
woman and by a priest, SO all should be
well with us What say YOU Edricson?'
II cannot tell, my fair lord. The Romans
| OF old were very wise people; yet certes
| they placed their faith in such matters &c.
TOO, did the Greeks, and divers other an
cient peoples who were famed for their
| learning. Yet of the moderns there are
many who scoff at all omens."
There can be no manner of doubt about
| It," said Sir Oliver Buttesthorn. II can
well remember that In Navarro one day
| 1t Numbered on the left out of a cloudless
| sky. We knew that Ill would come of it,
| nor had we long to wait. Only thirteen
DAYS sys,o after. haunch of prime venison was
wolves, and on the same day two TASKS of
Cd vernage turned sour and muddy
You may bring my harness from below"
pray you, bring up Sir divers, and we
shall don 1t here. Ye may then see to your
| own gear; for this day you will, 1 hope,
| make very honorable entrance into the
be very worthy and valiant squires And
| now, Sir Oliver, as to our dispositions:
would 1t please you that I should order
| them, or will your"
am no chicken, but cannot claim to know
| as much of war as the squire of Sir Wal
| ter Nanny. Settle the matter to your own
| liking"
You shall fly your pennon upon the fore
part. then. and upon the poop. For fore
| guard shall give you your own forty men,
| with twoscore archers. Twoscore men, with
my own men-at-armS and squires, will
| serve as poop guard. Ten archers with
| thirty shipmen. under the master, may hold
the waist, while ten lie aloft with stones
and arbalests. How like you that?"
| Good by my faith, goodi But here
comes my harness, and 1 must to work, for
l cannot slip into 1t as 1 was wont when
| first L set my face to the wars"
Meanwhile there had been hustle and
| preparation in all parts of the great vessel.
| The archers stood in groups about the
decks, new-stringing their bows and test
ing that they were firm at the nocks. Among
| IuONtu AyiWdiu ana Otner or 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 he passed from knot to
| knot. by my hilti are in luck this
| journey. Bear in mind the old saying Of
| the company"
| What is that, Aylward?' cried several
lea ming on their bows and laughing at him.
| It's the master bowyer's rede: Every
bow well bent. Every shaft well sent.
Every stave well nocked, Every string
| well locked There. with that Jingle in his
| head. a bracer on his left hand shooting
| glove on his right and farthings worth
| OF wax in his girdle, what more doth a
| bowman need?"
ut would net be amiss," said Horde
| John, IF under his glrdle he had four
| farthings' worth of wine"
| Work first, wine afterward, mon CANA
| rade. But 1t is time that we took our
| order. for methinks that between the Needle
| rocks and the Alum cliffs yonder l can
! CO tch a glimpse of the topmasts of the gal
| leys. Hewett, Cook, Johnson, Cunningham,
your men are of the poop guard. Thorn
| bury, Walters Hackett, Baddlesmere you
| ara with Sir Oliver the forecastle. Simon,
you bide with your lords banner; but ten
| men must go forward
Quietly and promptly the men took their
places, lying fiat upon their faces the
deck. for such Sir Nigel's order. Near
| the prov was planted Sir divers spear,
| with his arms-a boar's head gules upon
field of gold. Close by the stern stood Black
4
| Loring. In the waist gathered the South
| an,pton mariners, hairy and burly men,
| with their Jenkins thrown Off, their waists
braced tight swords. mallets and pole axes
In their hands. Their leader Goodwin Haw-
| tsyne. stood upon the poop and talked with
| Sir Nigel. casting his eye up sometimes at
the swelling SAIL and then glancing back at
| the two seamen who held the tilfer.
| Pass the word" said Sir Nigel that no
man shall stand to arms or draw his bow
string until my trumpeter shall sound: 1t
would be well that We should seem to be
merchant ship from Southampton and APP
| pear to flee from them ...
I'VE shall see them anon" said the mas
ter shipman. Hal said not so? There
| they lie, the water snakes. in Freshwater
bay. and mark the reek of smoke from
| yonder point, where they have been at their
| DEVILS work. See how their shallops pull
| from the land! They have seen us and
called their men aboard. Now they draw
| upon the anchor. See them like ants upon
the forecastle! They stoop and heave like
| handy shipmen. But, my fair lord. these
| are no niefs. ! doubt but we have taken
| In hand more than we do. Each of
| these ships is a galeasse, and of the largest
| and swiftest make
81 would l had your eyes" said Sir
| Nigel blinking at the pirate ,galleys.
| "They seem very gallant ships, and trust
| that we shall have much pleasance
| from our meeting with them 1t would
BE- we'll TO pass the word that we shouio
| neither give nor take quarter this day.
| Have you perchance a priest or friar aboard
| this ship. Master Hawtayne?"
| mo. my fair lord
well, well, 1t is no great matter for my
| company, for they were all housled and
| shriyen ere we left Twynham castle; and
| Father Christopher of the priory gave me
J his word that they were as fit to march 10
| heaven as to Gascony. But my mind mis-
| doubts me as to these Winchester men who
| have come with Sir oliver, for they appear
to be very ungodly crew. Pass the word
that men kneel, and that the under-off1cers
| repeat to them the pater, the ave and the
| credo,"
With a clank of arms the rough archers
and seamen took to their knees, with bent
| heads and crossed hands, listening to the
| hoarse mutter from the file leaders. 1t was