The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1906-07-26

across the broad. sluggish. reed CIR
sgreasn-men. horses. aud baggage IN tbs
fat ferry barges- and so 1ourneyed or
through the fresh morning air past Tx
bury 10 Lepe Topping the healthy down
they came OF sudden full in sight OF ths
old seaport. Some way out from ths
town a line of PRISONERS, creyerss aas
other small craft were rolling lazliy on
the gentle swell. Further cut still lay
great merchant ship, high-ended, deep
WASTED. painted OF a canary yellow. and
towering above the fishing boats like a
swan among dgcklings-
by St. Pauli- said the knight. ''our
good merchant OF Southampton hath not
played US false, for methinks | can see
our ship down yonder. He said that shs
would be of great size and of q yellow
shade"
SPY nv hilt, yes r. muttered Awkward ;
sashe is yellow as kites claw, and would
carry as many men as there ere pips in q
pomegranate.
cit is WELL" remarked Terlake: 'sfor
methinks, my fair lord, that we are not
he only ones who are waiting passage
to Gascony- Mine eye catches at times
4 flash and sparkle from among yonder
houses which assuredly never came from
shipman's Jacket or the gaberdine of a
burgher."
II can also see it." said Alleyns. shad-
ing bis eyes with his hand. sAnd / can
see men-at-arrns in yonder boats which
ply hetwixt the vessel and the shore
But ulethinks that we are very welcome
here. for already they come forth to meet
VI"
A tunulfuous crowd Of fishermen. citi-
xens, and women had indeed swarmed
out from the northern gate. approached
them I'D the side of the moor, waving
their hands and dancing with joy. as
though q great fear had been rolled back
from their minds At their head rode a
very large and solemn man with q long
chin and dropping lip. He wore fur
tippet round his neck and a heavy gold
chain over il, with a medallion which
dsngled in front of him.
Welcome, most puissant and noble
Eord," he cried. dofing his bonnet You
see in me the mayor and chief magistrate
OF the ancient and powerful town of Lepe.
| bid you very heartily welcome. and the
more so as you are come at a moment
when we are sore put to it for defence.
.-Ha !" cried Sir Nigel, pricking up his
ears.
ayes, my lord, for the town being very
ancient. and the walls as old as the town,
1t follows that they ara very ancient too.
But there IS certain ylllianous and blood
thirsty Norman pirate knight Tete-noire,
who. with a Genoan called Tito Caracci,
commonly known as Spade-beard, hath
been a mighty scourge upon these
coasts Indeed. my lord, they are very
cruel and black-hearted men, graceless
and ruthless They have come In two
great gaileys- with two banks of oars on
either side, and great store of engines Of
war and of men-at-arns- At Weymouth
and at Portland they have murdered and
rarished Yesterday morning they were
at Cowes, and we saw the smoke from the
burning crofts- To-day they lie at their
ease near Freshwater, and we fear much
lest they come upon US and do us a mis-
Chief
I'VE cannot tarry.- said Sir Nigel,
riding toward the town, with the mayor
upon his left side ssthe Prince awaits US
at Bordeaux. and we may not be behind
The general muster Yet l win promise
you that on our way we shall ind time TO
pass Freshwater and TO prevail upon
these rovers to leave you in peace.
I'VE are much beholden to you r
eIied the mayor. But / cannot see, my
lord, how. without a warship, you may
venture against these men With your
archers, however, you might well bold the
town and do them great scath if they
attempt TO land"
There is a very proper cog out yon-
DER said Sir Nigel; lit would be a very
strange thing If any ship were not war
ship when it had such men as these upon
her decks Certes, we shall do as | say. |
and that no later than this very day
My lord said rough-haired, dark |
faced man, who walked by the knights |
other stirrup, with his head slopcd TO /
catch all that he was saying. by your /
leave. have no doubt that you are skilled |
10 land fighting and the marshalIing Of I
lances, but by my soul you will find II
another thing upon the sea am master
~. Ill sd
is Goodwin Hawtayne. | have sailed /
since / was as high as this STAFF, and
have fought against these Normans and
against the Genoese, as well as the
Scotch, the Brefons, the Spanish, an0 the
Moors I tell you. sir, that my ship is
overnight and over-frail for such work,
and it will but end in our having our
threats cut, or being sold as slaves TO
the Barbary heathen-
~ also have experienced one or two
gentle and honorable ventures upon the
sea- quofh Sir Nigel. '.and am right
blifhe to have so fair task before US.
think, good master shipman- that yo1
and NAV win great honor in this matter.
and can see very readily that you are
q brave and stout man.
81 like it nof," said the other stur-
div. I'm Gods name, | like it not.
And yet Goodwin Hawtayne is not the
man to stand back when his fellows are
for pressing forward. BY my soul be II
sink or swim, shall turn her beak into
Freshwater Bay, and il good Master
Wifherton of Southampton ike not my
handling of his ship, then he may find
another MASTER
The throng moved on. until at the very
gate it was brought to a stand by a
sTondrousIy stout man, who came darling
forth from the town with rage in every
feature of his rubicund face
ssTIov now, Sir May0rT he roared, In
4 voice like a bull How now, Sir
Mayor How of the clans and the
scallopsf~ II
eBy our Lady, my sweet Sir Oliver"
rrfed the mayor, II have had so much to
hing of, with these wicked Williams, so
lose upon us, that it had quite gone out
II my head"
NAY. Sir Oliver. Sir Oliverw cried !
Sir Nigel. laughing -Let your anger be I
sppeased. since instead Of this dish you
ONE upon an old friend and comrade-D {
aBy St. Martin of Tours y shouted the :
at knight. his wrath all changed In an
Instant to joy, eff 1t is not my dear little I
,ame rooster Of the Garonne. All, my 9
iweet coz. ! am right glad TO see you. r
What days we have seen together" (
''The clans and scalloDs shall be ready y
within the hour the mayor answered. d
4 had asked Sir Oliver Buttesthorn 70 r
n my humble board the honor 10 partake a