that seemed to me incredibly short I saw him round the point with the fire ships in tow.  You saw, as well as I did, how completely the plan was carried out.  Ten or twelve of the Turkish ships are a mass of flames, and besides these I noted that the galley ran down and destroyed several smaller craft filled with soldiers.  The panic in the ships spread to the troops on shore, and rendered the last part of our task an easy one.  I say it from my heart that I consider it is to Sir Gervaise Tresham that we owe our success, and that, had it not been for his happy thought, the sun would have gone down on our dead bodies lying on the summit of the breach, and on the Turkish flag waving over the fort of St. Nicholas.”

Until now none of the defenders of the breach had known how what seemed to them an almost miraculous change in the fortune of the fight had come about, and they thronged round Gervaise, shaking his hand, and many of them warmly embracing him, according to the custom of the time.

“It was but natural that the idea should occur to me,” he said, “having before successfully encountered them with fire ships; and as all on shore, and especially these knights, aided me with all their power, it took but a brief time to get the boats in readiness for burning.  Much credit, too, is due to the merchant captains and sailors who volunteered to take charge of the fire ships and to manoeuver them alongside the Turks.”

The grand master and the knights who had borne the brunt of the battle now retired along the mole to the town, bearing with them their most seriously wounded comrades, and assisting those whose wounds were less severe.  The twenty knights who had manned the two galleys remained in the fort.  Caretto continued in command, as, although he had suffered several wounds, he refused to relinquish his post.  Gervaise, who had, —­ thanks partly to his skill with his weapons, but still more to the temper of the splendid suit of armour presented to him by Genoa, —­ escaped without a scratch, volunteered to remain with him until next morning, his principal motive for making the request being his desire to escape from further congratulations and praise for the success of his plan.  After Caretto’s wounds had been dressed by the knights, and he and Gervaise had partaken of some food and wine, which they greatly needed, Caretto was persuaded to lie down for a time, the knights promising to bring him word at once if they perceived any movement whatever on the part of the enemy.  Gervaise remained with him, feeling, now the excitement was over, that he sorely needed rest after his exertions in the full heat of the summer sun.

“It has been a great day, Gervaise,” Caretto said, “and I only hope that when again I go into battle with the infidel, I shall have you at hand to come forward at the critical moment with some master stroke to secure victory.  Claudia will be pleased indeed when she hears how the knight who bears her gage has again distinguished himself.  She will look on the gay and idle young fops of Genoa with greater disdain than ever.  Now you need not say anything in protest, the more so as I feel grievously weak, and disposed for sleep.”