“I thought that they would be able to put it out; but, as far as we are concerned, it matters little.  They have lost their sails, and as I saw but four sweeps, we can travel five miles to their one.  If we find the galleys we will look in here on our way back, and if they have not left we will fire that craft more effectually, and then the pirates will be trapped, and we can leave them till we have fetched off Sir Louis and his prizes, and then have a grand hunt here.  We took no prisoners before, and a hundred slaves will be a useful addition to our wall builders.  Now, Tresham, I have to thank you warmly, for Harcourt and I doubly owe our lives to you.  It was thanks to your quickness of wit that we regained our boat, for I would not have given a ducat for our chances had you not thought of that scheme.  In the second place, we should assuredly have been overtaken again had it not been for your happy thought of crippling them by burning their sails.  By St. George, Harcourt, this young countryman of ours is as quick and as ready of wit as he has shown himself a brave and gallant fighter!  We have no lack of sturdy fighters; but the wit to devise and to seize upon the right thing in the moment of danger is vastly more rare.  As for myself, I have no shame that this lad, who is young enough to be my son, should have thus, twice in a single hour, pointed out the way to safety.  With sword and battleaxe I can, I trust, hold my own with any man; but my brain is dull when it comes to hatching schemes.  If we live, we shall see Sir Gervaise one of the most distinguished knights of the Order.”

“While I feel gratified indeed, as I may well be by your commendation, Sir John, I must, under your favour, say that you have given me a far greater degree of credit than is my due.  There was the fire, and there was the sail, and the thought that the one would destroy the other was simply a natural one, which might have occurred to a child.  As to the plan about the boat, seeing that there was the hill and the wood, it flashed upon me at once that we might make a circuit and come back to her.”

“Just so, lad; but those thoughts did not flash upon my mind, nor upon that of Harcourt.  It is just because those sort of ideas do flash upon the minds of some men, and not of others, that the first rise to the rank of distinguished commanders, while the others remain simple knights who would play their part in a charge or in the defence of a breach, but would be of no account as leaders.

“Now row along steadily, men,” he went on, speaking to the slaves.  “We are still in good time, for it was not an hour from the moment we touched the island to our departure from it, and much of that time we have gained by the speed with which you rowed before.  At any rate, we shall make out the island before sunset, and whether we arrive there a little sooner or later matters little.  Harcourt, hand me that wineskin and a goblet.  A draught will do us good after our climb and swim, and these good fellows will be none the worse for a cup also.”