“I need not warn you to act with prudence as well as courage, for you have proved that you possess both qualities.  Do not allow yourself to be carried away by the impetuosity of your knights; it is more often the duty of a commander to restrain than to encourage his crew, and with such young blood as you have under your command the necessity will be greater than usual.  Be kind to your slaves, but be ever watchful; yet this I need not tell you.  Maintain a strict but not over severe discipline.  You are all knights and comrades of the Order, and equals when on shore, but on board you are the captain and they are your soldiers.  I have this afternoon had a meeting of your knights, and have urged upon them very strongly that, having volunteered to serve under you, they must obey your orders as promptly and willingly as if you were the senior knight of the Order, and that it behooves them specially upon the present occasion, when the crew is composed entirely of young knights, to show themselves worthy of the honour that has been done to them by entrusting a galley of the Order to their charge.  I told them I should regard your report of their individual conduct with the same attention and respect with which I should that of any other commander, and that they might greatly make or mar their future prospects in the Order by their conduct during the cruise.  I am convinced, from what I know of you, that you will exercise no undue harshness, but will act with tact and discretion, as well as firmness.”

“I will try to do so, your Excellency.  I feel that it is a heavy responsibility and will spare no pains to justify the unmerited honour that has been bestowed upon me.”

“You have seen that the taking in of stores is complete, and that nothing is wanting for the voyage?”

“Yes, sir.  I stood by while the overseer of stores checked off every sack and barrel as it came on board.  The water is to be brought off this evening, and as I was unable to be present, Sir Ralph Harcourt is there to count the barrels and see that all are full.”

“Goodbye, Sir Gervaise,” the grand master said, as the interview terminated.

“Hitherto you have given me, from the time you reached the Island, naught but reason for satisfaction at my nomination of you as page, and I have no fear that you will fail this time.  Remember that valour, however great, cannot prevail against overpowering odds.  You had a lesson of that when you served under Ricord, though finally the affair turned out well.  I do not say, don’t attempt desperate undertakings, but don’t attempt impossible ones.  Be careful of the lives of your knights.  Remember that ere long every sword may be of the utmost consequence in the defence of Rhodes, and that even the capture of pirates may be too dearly purchased; but that, at the same time, the honour of the flag of the Order must be upheld at all hazards.  Ah!” he broke off, seeing a slight smile on the young knight’s face, “you think my orders contradictory?  It may be so; but you know what I mean, and I fear not that you will blunder in carrying them out.  Be prudent, and yet not over prudent.  I mean, be not rash, unless there are such benefits to be obtained as would justify great risk in obtaining them.”