The knights gave a shout of satisfaction at finding that their choice was also that of the officers.

“Lay her head to the north,” Gervaise said to the pilot.  Then he went to the end of the poop, and ordered the slaves to row on.  “Row a long, steady stroke, such as you can maintain for many hours.  We have a long journey before us, and there is need for haste.  Now is the time for willing work.”

The oars dipped into the water, and the galley was soon moving along at a much faster pace than that at which they had performed the journey from Rhodes.  The slaves had not, from their benches, been able to see what had passed on board the dismantled vessel, but from the order and the change of course, they had no doubt that the knights had obtained some clue to the direction taken by the corsairs who had captured and sacked the ship.

“There is but little wind,” Gervaise said to Ralph, “and their sails will be of slight use to them; therefore we shall go fully three feet to their two.  It is quite possible that we may not catch sight of them, for we cannot tell exactly the course they will take.  We shall steer for Cape Carbonara, which is some hundred and thirty miles distant.  If we do not see them by the time we get there, we shall be sure that we have passed them on the way, unless, indeed, a strong wind should spring up from the south.  However, I hope that we shall catch sight of them before that, for we shall be able from our lookout to discover their masts and sails some eight or ten miles away, while they will not be able to see us until we are within half that distance.  They cannot be more than twenty miles away now, for the light breeze will aid them but little, and as they will see no occasion for haste, they will not be rowing at their full power, with so long a passage before them.”

Already, indeed, one of the knights had perched himself on the seat at the top of a low mast some fifteen feet above the poop, that served as a lookout.

“You can see nothing yet, I suppose, Cairoli?”

“No; the line of sea is clear all round.”

It was indeed some four hours before the knight on the lookout cried that he could make out three dark specks on the horizon.  Gervaise at once ascended to the lookout, by the ladder that was fixed against the post.

“They are making to the left of the course we are taking.  Turn her head rather more to the west.  That will do.  They are directly ahead now.”  He then came down to the deck again.  “I would that we had seven or eight more hours of daylight, Ralph, instead of but three at the outside.  However, as we know the course they are taking, we are not likely to miss them, for as we shall not be near enough for them to make us out before the sun sets, there will be no chance of their changing it.  Do you think they will row all night?”

“I should not think so.  If the land were nearer they might keep on until they make it, but as they have had no wind since daylight, they will lie on their oars until morning.  You see, at sunset they will still be some eighty miles from Cape Carbonara, and the slaves could not possibly row that distance without rest; so that if we keep on we may take them by surprise.”