and Gervaise were despatched just before sunrise to take a look round before the galley got under way.  From the top of the hill they had an uninterrupted view of the sea, studded with islands on all sides of them.  Beyond a few fishing boats, looking like black specks on the glassy surface, no craft were in sight.  They were about to return to the galley when, taking a last look round, Gervaise suddenly exclaimed, “Look, Ralph!  There is smoke ascending from that island to the southwest.  There was none just now.”

“You mean from that bay, Gervaise?  Yes, I see it; it is not more than a light mist.”

“It is growing thicker,” Gervaise said, “and spreading.  Maybe it is but a hut that has accidentally caught fire, but it seems to me that the smoke is rising from several points.”

“I think you are right, Gervaise.  Let us hurry down with the news.  It may be that it is a village which has been attacked by pirates who have landed on the other side of the island during the night, for I can see no ships in the bay.”

A few minutes’ run and they stood on the shore.

“Quick, men!” Ralph said to the rowers of the boat that had brought them ashore.  “Row your hardest.”

The slaves bent to their oars, and they were soon alongside the galley, which lay two or three hundred yards from the shore.  Those on board had noticed the young knights running down the hill, and, marking the speed at which the boat was rowing, concluded at once that they must have observed one of the pirate’s ships.

“Do you see anything of them, Sir Ralph?” the commander shouted, as they came close.

“We have seen no ships, Sir Louis, but there is smoke coming up from a bay in an island four or five miles away to the southwest.  It seems to us that it is far too extensive a fire to be the result of an accident, for there was no smoke until within two or three minutes of the time we left, and before we started it was rising from several points, and we both think that it must come from a village that has been attacked by pirates.”

The commander rapidly issued his orders, and in two or three minutes the anchor was weighed, the boat hoisted on deck, and the oars in motion.

“Stretch to your oars!” Ricord shouted to the slaves.  “Hitherto we have exacted no toil from you, but you have to work now, and woe be to him who does not put out his full strength.”

Grateful for the unusual leniency with which they had been treated, the slaves bent to their oars, and the galley sped rapidly through the water.  On rounding the end of the island there was an exclamation of satisfaction from the knights as they saw wreaths of white smoke rising from the distant island.

“There can be no doubt that it is a village in flames,” Sir Louis said; “and from the suddenness with which it broke out, it is clear that it must have been fired at several points.  You say you saw no craft near?” he asked, turning to Harcourt.