Amador ledger., 1906-08-03

was a blood-smeared shambles, with
bodies piled three deep upon each other,
the living covering behind the dead to
shelter themselves from that sudden
| storm-blaSt of death On either side the
seamen whom Sir Nigel had chosen for
the purpose had cast their anchors over
the sides of the galleys.
| Fore and aft the archers had cleared
the galleys' decks, but from either side
the rovers had poured down into the
waist, where the seamen and bowmen
were pushed back and so mingled with
their foes that it was impossible for their
comrades above to draw string to help
them. 1t was wild chaos where axe and
sword rose and fell, while Englishmen,
Norman and Italian staggered and reeled
on deck which was numbered with
bodies and slippery with blood.
Ihe giant Tete-noire, towering
above his fellows and clad from head TO
foot IN plate of proof, led on his boarders.
swinging huge mace with which he
struck to the deck every man who opposed
him. On the other side, Spade-beard,
dwarf IN height, but of great breadth of
shoulder and length of arm, had G a
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
score more, sprang down from the poop
and hurled themselves into the thickest
OF the fight. Alleyne, as in duty bound,
kept his eyes ever on his lord and pressed
forward close at his heels. Often had he
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
| sword, so swift and so cratic 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 slashing blow from his deadly
mace. Sir Nigel stopped to avoid it, and
at the same instant turned a thrust frc
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
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 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 for
antagonist. But Horde John, with
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,
hurting his whole weight against his OPP
ponent in an endeavor to break the vice
like grip which held him.
Back and forth they flung and surged,
until, with a quick movement, -.ordle
John put forth fierce effort, twisting and
| forcing farther back the Norman's arm
until with sharp crack, like breaking
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 glimmcr
Of a knife before the bars of his helmet
warned him that short would be his
shrift if he moved.
Cowed and disheartened by the loss of
their leader, the Normans had given back
and were now streaming over the bull
warks on to their own galley, dropping
dozen at a time, on to her deck.
But the fight had taken new and a
strange turn upon the other side. Spade
beard and his men had given slowly back,
hard pressed by Sir Nigel, Awkward,
Black Simon, and the poop-guard. Foot
by foot the Italian had retreated, his
armor running blood at every joint, his
shield split, his crest shorn, his voice
fallen away to a mere gasping and croak
| ing. Yet he faced his foemen with daunt-
less courage, dashing in springing back,
sure-footed, steady-handed, with a SHIN
mering point which seemed to menace
| three at once. Beaten back on to the
deck of his own vessel and closely fol-
lowed by a dozen Englishmen, he dis
engaged himself from them, ran swiftly
down the deck, sprang back into the cog
| once more, cut the rope which held the
anchor, and was back in an instant among
his crossbowmen. At the same time the
Genoese sailors thrust with their oars
against the side of the cog, and rapidly
widening rift appeared between the two
vessels.
by ST. George!'' cried Ford, ''we are
cut off from Sir Nigel"
HE is lost" gasped Terlake. "Come,
let us spring for it" The two youths
jumped with all their strength to reach
the departing galley. Ford's feet reached
the edge of the bulwarks, and his hand
clutching a rope he swung himself on
board Terlake fell short, crashed in
among the oars, and bounded off into the
sea. Alleyne, staggering to the side, was
about to hurl himself after him, but
Horde Johns heavy hand dragged him
back by the girdle
The vessels were indeed so far apart
now that the Genoese coulI use the full
sweep of their oars and draw away
rapidly from the cog.
Look Look but it is a noble fight "
shouted big John, clapping his hands.