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knight Sir Robert； checking； testing； watching and controlling；
saying little； for he was a man of few words； but with his eyes；
his hands； and if need be his heavy； dog…whip； wherever they were
wanted。
The seamen of the Basilisk； being from a free port； had the old
feud against the men of the Cinque Ports； who were looked upon by
the other mariners of England as being unduly favored by the King。
A ship of the West Country could scarce meet with one from the
Narrow Seas without blood flowing。 Hence sprang sudden broils on
the quay side； when with yell and blow the Thomases and Grace
Dieus； Saint Leonard on their lips and murder in their hearts；
would fall upon the Basilisks。 Then amid the whirl of cudgels and
the clash of knives would spring the tiger figure of the young
leader； lashing mercilessly to right and left like a tamer among
his wolves； until he had beaten them howling back to their work。
Upon the morning of the fourth day all was ready； and the ropes
being cast off the three little ships were warped down the harbor
by their own pinnaces until they were swallowed up in the swirling
folds of a Channel mist。
Though small in numbers； it was no mean force which Edward had
dispatched to succor the hard…pressed English garrisons in
Brittany。 There was scarce a man among them who was not an old
soldier； and their leaders were men of note in council and in war。
Knolles flew his flag of the black raven aboard the Basilisk。
With him were Nigel and his own Squire John Hawthorn。 Of his
hundred men； forty were Yorkshire Dalesmen and forty were men of
Lincoln； all noted archers； with old Wat of Carlisle； a grizzled
veteran of border warfare； to lead them。
Already Aylward by his skill and strength had won his way to an
under…officership amongst them； and shared with Long Ned
Widdington； a huge North Countryman； the reputation of coming next
to famous Wat Carlisle in all that makes an archer。 The men…
at…arms too were war…hardened soldiers； with Black Simon of
Norwich； the same who had sailed from Winchelsea； to lead them。
With his heart filled with hatred for the French who had slain all
who were dear to him； he followed like a bloodhound over land and
sea to any spot where he might glut his vengeance。 Such also were
the men who sailed in the other ships； Cheshire men from the Welsh
borders in the cog Thomas； and Cumberland men； used to Scottish
warfare； in the Grace Dieu。
Sir James Astley hung his shield of cinquefoil ermine over the
quarter of the Thomas。 Lord Thomas Percy； a cadet of Alnwick；
famous already for the high spirit of that house which for ages
was the bar upon the landward gate of England； showed his blue
lion rampant as leader of the Grace Dieu。 Such was the goodly
company Saint…Malo bound； who warped from Calais Harbor to plunge
into the thick reek of a Channel mist。
A slight breeze blew from the eastward； and the highended；
round…bodied craft rolled slowly down the Channel。 The mist rose
a little at times； so that they had sight of each other dipping
and rising upon a sleek； oily sea； but again it would sink down；
settling over the top； shrouding the great yard； and finally
frothing over the deck until even the water alongside had vanished
from their view and they were afloat on a little raft in an ocean
of vapor。 A thin cold rain was falling； and the archers were
crowded under the shelter of the overhanging poop and forecastle；
where some spent the hours at dice； some in sleep； and many in
trimming their arrows or polishing their weapons。
At the farther end； seated on a barrel as a throne of honor； with
trays and boxes of feathers around him； was Bartholomew the bowyer
and Fletcher； a fat； bald…headed man； whose task it was to see
that every man's tackle was as it should be； and who had the
privilege of selling such extras as they might need。 A group of
archers with their staves and quivers filed before him with
complaints or requests； while half a dozen of the seniors gathered
at his back and listened with grinning faces to his comments and
rebukes。
〃Canst not string it？〃 he was saying to a young bowman。 〃Then
surely the string is overshort or the stave overlong。 It could
not by chance be the fault of thy own baby arms more fit to draw
on thy hosen than to dress a warbow。 Thou lazy lurdan； thus is it
strung！〃 He seized the stave by the center in his right hand；
leaned the end on the inside of his right foot； and then； pulling
the upper nock down with the left hand； slid the eye of the string
easily into place。 〃Now I pray thee to unstring it again；〃
handing it to the bowman。
The youth with an effort did so； but he was too slow in
disengaging his fingers； and the string sliding down with a snap
from the upper nock caught and pinched them sorely against the
stave。 A roar of laughter； like the clap of a wave； swept down
the deck as the luckless bowman danced and wrung his hand。
〃Serve thee well right； thou redeless fool！〃 growled the old
bowyer。 〃So fine a bow is wasted in such hands。 How now； Samkin？
I can teach you little of your trade； I trow。 Here is a bow
dressed as it should be； but it would； as you say； be the better
for a white band to mark the true nocking point in the center of
this red wrapping of silk。 Leave it and I will tend to it anon。
And you； Wat？ A fresh head on yonder stele？ Lord； that a man
should carry four trades under one hat； and be bowyer； fletcher；
stringer and headmaker！ Four men's work for old Bartholomew and
one man's pay！〃
〃Nay； say no more about that；〃 growled an old wizened bowman； with
a brown…parchment skin and little beady eyes。 〃It is better in
these days to mend a bow than to bend one。 You who never looked a
Frenchman in the face are pricked off for ninepence a day； and I；
who have fought five stricken fields； can earn but fourpence。〃
〃It is in my mind； John of Tuxford； that you have looked in the
face more pots of mead than Frenchmen；〃 said the old bowyer。 〃I
am swinking from dawn to night； while you are guzzling in an
alestake。 How now； youngster？ Overbowed？ Put your bow in the
tiller。 It draws at sixty pounds … not a pennyweight too much for
a man of your inches。 Lay more body to it； lad； and it will come
to you。 If your bow be not stiff； how can you hope for a twenty…
score flight。 Feathers？ Aye； plenty and of the best。 Here；
peacock at a groat each。 Surely a dandy archer like you；
Tom Beverley； with gold earrings in your ears； would have no
feathering but peacocks？〃
〃So the shaft fly straight； I care not of the feather；〃 said the
bowman； a tall young Yorkshireman； counting out pennies on the
palm of his horny hand。
〃Gray goose…feathers are but a farthing。 These on the left are a
halfpenny； for they are of the wild goose； and the second feather
of a fenny goose is worth more than the pinion of a tame one。
These in the brass tray are dropped feathers； and a dropped
feather is better than a plucked one。 Buy a score of these； lad；
and cut them saddle…backed or swine…backed； the one for a dead
shaft and the other for a smooth flyer； and no man in the company
will swing a better…fletched quiver over his shoulder。〃
It chanced that the opinion of the bowyer on this and other points
differed from that of Long Ned of Widdington； a surly
straw…bearded Yorkshireman； who had listened with a sneering face
to his counsel。 Now he broke in suddenly upon the bowyer's talk。
〃You would do better to sell bows than to try to teach others how
to use them；〃 said he； 〃for indeed； Bartholomew； that head of
thine has no more sense within it than it has hairs without。 If
you had drawn string for as many months as I have years you would
know that a straight…cut feather flies smoother than a swine…
backed； and pity it is that these young bowmen have none to teach
them better！〃
This attack upon his professional knowledge touched the old bowyer
on the raw。 His fat face became suffused with blood and his eyes
glared with fury as he turned upon the archer。 〃You seven…foot
barrel of lies！〃 he cried。 〃 All…hallows be my aid； and I will
teach you to open your slabbing mouth against me！ Pluck forth
your sword and stand out on yonder deck； that we may see who is
the man of us twain。 May I never twirl a shaft over my thumb nail
if I do not put Bartholomew's mark upon your thick head！〃
A score of rough voices joined at once in the quarrel； some
upholding the bowyer and others taking the part of the North
Countryman。 A red…headed Dalesman snatched up a sword； but was
felled by a blow from the fist of his neighbor。 Instantly； with a
buzz like a swarm of angry hornets； the bowmen were out on the
deck； but ere a blow was struck Knolles was amongst them with
granite face and eyes of fire。
〃Stand apart； I say！ I will warrant you enough fighting to cool
your blood ere you see England once more。 Loring； Hawthorn； cut
any man down who raises his hand。 Have you aught to say； you
fox…haired rascal？〃 He thrust his face within two inches of that
of the red man who had first seized his sword。 The fellow shrank
back； cowed； from his fierce eyes。 〃 Now stint your noise； all of
you； and stretch your long ears