The Greeley tribune., 1906-08-02

,S =, hIood-smeared shambles. WIN
nna,,s piled three deep upon each other
the living covering behind the dead 70
shelter themselves from that sudden
ssaman whom Sir Nigel had chosen foi
the purpose had cast their anchors over
The sides OF the salleys.
ror, and aft the archers hnd cieareu
tbe galleys' decks, but from either sue
tn. royers had poured down into tue
,utSt where the Seamen and DoWmeu
w,r. pushed back and SO mingled Win
their foes that II was Impossible tor theit
rourades above to draw Strlng to help
rSsm Ii Was wild chaos where axe anu
s,yorl rose and fell, while Englishmen,
Norman and Italian staggered and reeieu
ON a deck which was cumoereu WIN
bodies and slippery with blooo.
The giant Tete-noire. towering
above his fellows and clad from head to
foot in plate of proof, led on his boar1ers,
swinging huge mace with which he
struck to the deck every man who opposed
him. On the other side, Spade-beard, Il
dwarf in height. but of great breadth OF
shoulder and length of arm. had n
road almost to the mast, with three
score Genoese men-at-arms close at his
heels.
But help was close at h SIR Oliver
Buttesthorn with his men-at-armS had
swarmed down from the forecastle, while
Sir Nigel. with his three squires, Black
Simon. Aylward, Horde John, and a
score more, sprang down from the poop
and hurled themselves into the thickest
of the fight. Ailcyne, as in duty bound.
kept hi. eyes ever on his lord and pressed
forward close at his heels. Often had ne
heard OF Sir Nigel's prowess and skill
with all knightly weapons, but all the
tales that had reached his ears fell far
short of the real quickness and GOODNESS
of the man. 1t was as if the devil was
in him, for he sprang here and sprang
there. now thrusting and now cutting.
catching blows on his shield, turning them
with his blade, stopping under the swing
of an axe. springing over the sweep of a
sword, so swift and so erratic that the
man who braced himself for a blow at
him might find him six PAGES off ere he
could bring it down. Three pirates had
fallen before him, and he had wounded
Spade-beard in the neck, when the Nor
man giant sprang at him from the side
with a slashing blow from his deadly
mace. Sir Nigel stopped to avoid it. and
at the same instant turned a thrust fir !
the Genoese swordsman, but, his foot
slipping in pool of blood, he fell heavily
to the deck. Alleyne sprang in front OF
the Norman. but his sword was shattered
and he himself beaten to the deck by a
second blow from the ponderous weapon
Ere the pirate chief could repeat it, how
ever, Horde Johns iron grip fell upon
his wrist, and he found that for once he
was in the hands of a stronger man than
himself. Then came in truth battle OF
giants, such as is seldom witnessed
Fiercely the Norman strove to disengage
his weapon, cursing angrily in French at
being thwarted by such an unlo fol-
antagonist But Horde John, with q
bulls below. bending his great muscles to
the unwonted task, forced the huge
pirates sword arm slowly down and back.
ward. Terribly the Norman struggled
hurling his whole weight against his op.
ponent in an endeavor to break the vice
like grip which held him.
Back and forth they flung and surged
until, with quick movement, --ordle
John put forth fierce effort, twisting and
forcing farther back the Norman's arm
stave, it turned limp in his grasp and the
mace dropped from the nerveless fingers.
In vain he tried to pluck it with the
other hand. Back and back still the
Saxon bent him until, with aroar of pain
and of fury, the giant changed his full
length upon the boards, while the glimmei
OF knife before the bars of his helmet
warned him that short would be his
shrift If he moved.
SoWSu uau ulSucdTteucu ny Tue lOSS vi
their leader, the Normans had given back
and were now streaming over the bull
warks on to their own galley, dropping
dozen at time, on to her deck.
But the fight had taken a new and 9
strange turn upon the other side. Spade
beard and his men had given slowly back
hard pressed by Sir Nigel, Aylward
Black Simon, and the poop-guard. Foot
by foot the Italian had retreated, his
armor running blood at every joint hi.
shield split, his crest shorn, his voic,
fallen away to mere gasping and croak
ing. Yet he faced his foemen with daunt
less courage, dashing in. springing back
sure-footed, steady-handed, with shin
lnering point which seemed to menace
three at once. Beaten back on to th'
deck of his own vessel, and closely fol
lowed by dozen Englishmen, he dis
engaged himself from them, ran swift!
down the deck. sprang back into the co,
once more, cut the rope which held tn
anchor, and was back in an instant amOnj
his crossbowmen. At the same time tn
Genoese sailors thrust with their oar
against the side of the cog, and rapid,
widening rift appeared between the tw
vessels
BY St Georse!' cried Ford. 1--WE ar
He is lost" gasped Terlake. "Come
let us spring for it" The two youth
jumped with all their strength to reac
the departing galley. Fords feet reache
the edge of the bulwarks. and his han,
clutching rope he swung himself o.
board. Terlake fell short. crashed il
among the oars. and bounded off into III
sea. Alleyne. staggering to the side, wa
about to hurl himself after him. bu
Horde Johns heavy hand dragged hir
back by the girdle.
The vessels were indeed so far apar
now that the Genoese coull use the flu
| sweep of their oars and draw ava
rnpidly from the cog.
Look! Look but it is noble fight
shouted big John. clapping his hands
! 'sThey have cleared the poop. and the
spring into the waist. Well struck, m
lcrd! Well struck, Aylward! See toe
Black Simon. how he storms among tn
shipmen! But this Spade-beard is
gallant warrior.