ilver fifteen inches high I have vowed to the
Virgin, to be placed in her chapel within the Priory, for that she was
pleased to allow me to come upon this Spade-beard, who seemed to me from
what I have seen of him to be a very sprightly and valiant gentleman.
But how fares it with you, Edricson?"

"It is nothing, my fair lord," said Alleyne, who had now loosened his
bassinet, which was cracked across by the Norman's blow. Even as he
spoke, however, his head swirled round, and he fell to the deck with the
blood gushing from his nose and mouth.

"He will come to anon," said the knight, stooping over him and passing
his fingers through his hair. "I have lost one very valiant and gentle
squire this day. I can ill afford to lose another. How many men have
fallen?"

"I have pricked off the tally," said Aylward, who had come aboard with
his lord. "There are seven of the Winchester men, eleven seamen, your
squire, young Master Terlake, and nine archers."

"And of the others?"

"They are all dead--save only the Norman knight who stands behind you.
What would you that we should do with him?"

"He must hang on his own yard," said Sir Nigel. "It was my vow and must
be done."

The pirate leader had stood by the bulwarks, a cord round his arms,
and two stout archers on either side. At Sir Nigel's words he started
violently, and his swarthy features blanched to a livid gray.

"How, Sir Knight?" he cried in broken English. "Que dites vous? To hang,
le mort du chien! To hang!"

"It is my vow," said Sir Nigel shortly. "From what I hear, you thought
little enough of hanging others."

"Peasants, base roturiers," cried the other. "It is their fitting death.
Mais Le Seigneur d'Andelys, avec le sang des rois dans ses veins! C'est
incroyable!"

Sir Nigel turned upon his heel, while two seamen cast a noose over the
pirate's neck. At the touch of the cord he snapped the bonds which bound
him, dashed one of the archers to the deck, and seizing the other round
the waist sprang with him into the sea.

"By my hilt, he is gone!" cried Aylward, rushing to the side. "They have
sunk together like a stone."

"I am right glad of it," answered Sir Nigel; "for though it was against
my vow to loose him, I deem that he has carried himself like a very
gentle and debonnaire cavalier."

CHAPTER XVII. HOW THE YELLOW COG CROSSED THE BAR OF GIRONDE.

For two days the yellow cog ran swiftly before a northeasterly wind, and
on the dawn of th