The La Jara chronicle., 1906-08-03

!
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 a wild chaos where axe and
sword rose and fell, while Engishmen,
I Norman and Italian staggered and reeied
on a deck which was numbered with
bodies and slippery with blood.
The giant Tete-noire. towering
above his fellows and clad from head to
! foot in plate of proof, led on his boarders,
swinging a huge mace with which he
struck to the deck every man who opposed
him. On the other side, Spade-beard, a
dwarf in height, but of great breadth of
shoulder and length of arm, had c
road almost to the mast, with three
score Genoese men-at-arms close at his
heels.
But help was close at h S.r 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 n
core more, sprang down from the poop
and hurled themselves into the thickest
Of the fight. Alleyne. as in duty bound,
sept 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
hort of the real quickness and cooness
5f the man. 1t was as if the devil was
N him, for he sprang here and sprang
here. now thrusting and now cutting.
ratching blows on his shield, turning them
with his blade, STOPPING under the swing
II an axe, springing over the sweep of a
word, SO swift and so erratic that the
man who braced himself for 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
nt the same instant turned thrust fro
he Genoese swordsman. but. his foot
slipping in a pool of blood, he fell heavily
10 the deck. Alleyne sprang in front of
he Norman. but his sword was shattered
md 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.
l'iercely the Norman strove to disengage
his weapon. cursing angrily in French at
being thwarted by such an unlo for
antagonist. But Horde John, with a
bulls below, bending his great muscles to
the unwonted task. forced the huge
rirate's sword arm slowly down and back
ward. Terribly the Norman struggled,
lurling his whole weight against his OPP
ponent in an endeavor to break the vice
frpirN ,fDh hal i'm,
Back and forth they flung and surged,
until, with quick movement, --ordle
John put forth n fierce effort, twisting and
lyrcing farther back the Norman's arm
until with a sharp crack, like breaking
sfayc. it turned limp in his grasp and the
mace dropped from the nerveless fingers
lu vain he tried to pluck it with the
ulher hand. Back and back still the
$ SaNon bent him until, with aroar of pain
and of fury, the giant changed his full
d ngth upon the boards, while the glimmcr
OF knife before the bars of his helmet
warned him that short would be his
sErift 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
a dozen at n time, on to her deck.
But the fight had taken new and n
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
arInor 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 SHIN
inering point which seemed to menace
three at once. Beaten back on to the
4 L. 81 tv,I al. .Gnlt- fol
lowed by 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 a rapidly
widening rift appeared between the two
vessels.
by st. George!'' cried Ford, 1--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. Fords feet reached
the edge of the bulwarks, and his hand
clutching 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 could use the full
sweep of their oars and draw away
rapidly from the cog.
II ook Look but it is a noble iisht!'
shouted big John. clapping his hands.
."rhey have cleared the poop, and they
spring into the waist. Well struck, my
Icrd! Well struck, Aylward! See too,
Black Simon. how he storms among the
shipmen. But this Spade-beard is
gallant warrior
by Heaven, Sir Nigel is down" cried