the dragon and the raven-第21章

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it　would　be　folly　to　risk　the　success　of　our　enterprise　by
contending　against　overwhelming　numbers　at　the　outset；　seeing
that　we　shall　be　able　to　pick　up　so　many　prizes　round　the
coast。〃

〃We　can　beat　a　score　of　them；〃　Egbert　grumbled。　〃I　am
in　favour　of　fighting　the　Danes　whenever　we　see　them。〃

〃When　there　is　a　hope　of　success；　Egbert；　yes；　but　you
know　even　the　finest　bull　can　be　pulled　down　by　a　pack　of
dogs。　The　Dragon　is　a　splendid　ship；　and　does　credit　alike　to
King　Alfred's　first　advice；　to　the　plans　of　the　Italian
shipbuilders；　and　to　the　workmanship　and　design　of　the
shipwright　of　Exeter；　and　I　hope　she　will　long　remain　to　be　a
scourge　to　the　Danes　at　sea　as　they　have　been　a　scourge　to
the　Saxons　on　shore；　and　it　is　because　I　hope　she　is　going　to
do　such　good　service　to　England　that　I　would　be　careful　of
her。　You　must　remember；　too；　that　many　of　the　Danish　galleys
are　far　larger　than　those　we　had　to　do　with　to…day。　We
are　not　going　to　gobble　them　all　up　as　a　pike　swallows
minnows。〃

The　Dragon　had　now　anchored　again；　and　four　days
elapsed　before　any　Danish　galleys　were　seen。　At　the　end　of
that　time　six　large　Danish　war…ships　were　perceived　in　the
distance。　Edmund　and　Egbert　from　the　top　of　the　lofty　poop
watched　them　coming。

〃They　row　thirty　oars　each　side；〃　Egbert　said；　〃and　are
crowded　with　men。　What　say　you；　Edmund；　shall　we　stop
and　fight　them；　or　shall　the　Dragon　spread　her　wings？〃

〃We　have　the　advantage　of　height；〃　Edmund　said；　〃and
from　our　bow　and　stern　castles　can　shoot　down　into　them；
but　if　they　lie　alongside　and　board　us　their　numbers　will　give
them　an　immense　advantage。　I　should　think　that　we　might
run　down　one　or　two　of　them。　The　Dragon　is　much　more
strongly　built　than　these　galleys　of　the　Danes；　and　if　when
they　close　round　us　we　have　the　oars　lashed　on　both　sides　as
when　we　are　rowing；　it　will　be　next　to　impossible　for　them　to
get　alongside　except　at　the　stern　and　bow；　which　are　far　too
high　for　them　to　climb。〃

〃Very　well；〃　Egbert　said；　〃if　you　are　ready　to　fight；　you
may　be　sure　I　am。〃

The　anchor　was　got　up　and　the　oars　manned；　and　the
Dragon　quietly　advanced　towards　the　Danish　boats。　The　men
were　instructed　to　row　slowly；　and　it　was　not　until　within　a
hundred　yards　of　the　leading　galley　that　the　order　was　given
to　row　hard。

The　men　strained　at　the　tough　oars；　and　the　Dragon　leapt
ahead　to　meet　the　foe。　Her　bow　was　pointed　as　if　she　would
have　passed　close　by　the　side　of　the　Danish　galley；　which　was
crowded　with　men。　When　close　to　her；　however；　the　helmsman
pushed　the　tiller　across　and　the　Dragon　swept　straight
down　upon　her。　A　shout　of　dismay　rose　from　the　Danes；　a
hasty　volley　of　arrows　and　darts　was　hurled　at　the　Dragon；
and　the　helmsman　strove　to　avoid　the　collision；　but　in　vain。
The　Dragon　struck　her　on　the　beam；　the　frail　craft　broke　up
like　an　egg…shell　under　the　blow；　and　sank　almost　instantly
under　the　bows　of　the　Dragon。

Without　heeding　the　men　struggling　thickly　in　the　water；
the　Dragon　continued　her　course。　Warned　by　the　fate　of
the　first　boat；　the　next　endeavoured　to　avoid　her　path。　Her
commander　shouted　orders。　The　rowers　on　one　side　backed
while　those　on　the　other　pulled；　but　she　was　not　quite　quick
enough。　The　Dragon　struck　her　a　few　feet　from　the　stern；
cutting　her　in　two。

The　other　galleys　now　closed　in　alongside。　The　Saxons
hastily　fastened　their　oars　as　they　had　been　rowing　and　then
betook　themselves　to　their　posts；　those　with　spears　and　swords
to　the　sides　to　prevent　the　enemy　from　climbing　up；　the　archers
to　the　lofty　castles　at　either　end。　The　Danes　had　the
greatest　difficulty　in　getting　alongside；　the　oars　keeping　the
galleys　at　a　distance。　For　some　time　the　combat　was　conducted
entirely　by　the　archers　on　both　sides；　the　Danes　suffering
much　the　most　heavily；　as　the　Saxons　were　protected
by　the　bulwarks；　while　from　their　lofty　positions　they　were
enabled　to　fire　down　into　the　galleys。

At　last　one　of　the　Danish　vessels　rowed　straight　at　the
broadside　of　the　Dragon；　and　breaking　her　way　through　the
oars　her　bow　reached　the　side。　Then　the　Danes　strove　to
leap　on　board；　but　the　Saxons　pursued　the　tactics　which　had
succeeded　so　well　on　land；　and　forming　in　a　close　mass　where
the　Danish　vessel　touched　the　Dragon；　opposed　a　thick　hedge
of　spears　to　those　who　strove　to　board　her。

The　Danes　fought　desperately。　Several　notable　leaders；
hearing　that　a　great　Saxon　ship　had　appeared　on　the　Thames；
had　come　down　to　capture　her；　and　leading　their　followers；
strove　desperately　to　cut　their　way　to　the　deck　of　the　Dragon。
Taking　advantage　of　the　strife；　the　other　galleys　repeated　the
maneuver　which　had　succeeded；　and　each　in　turn　ran　their
stem　through　the　Saxon　oars；　and　reached　the　side　of　the
Dragon。　In　this　position；　however；　they　had　the　immense
disadvantage　that　only　a　few　men　at　once　could　strive　to　board；
while　the　Saxons　were　able　to　oppose　all　their　strength　at
these　four　points。

For　a　time　the　Saxons　repulsed　every　effort；　but　as　the
lashings　of　the　oars　gave　way　under　the　pressure　of　the　Danish
ships；　these　drifted　alongside；　and　they　were　thus　able　to
attack　along　the　whole　length　of　the　bulwarks　between　the
castles。　The　Saxons　were　now　hard　put　to　it；　but　their　superior
height　still　enabled　them　to　keep　the　Danes　in　check。

All　this　time　the　five　vessels　had　been　drifting　down　the
river　together。　Presently；　when　the　conflict　was　hottest；　the
chief　of　the　sailors　made　his　way　to　Edmund。

〃If　we　get　up　the　sails　we　may　be　able　to　draw　out　from
the　galleys。〃

〃Do　so；〃　Edmund　said；　〃and　at　once；　for　we　are　hardly
pressed；　they　are　four　to　one　against　us。〃

The　sailors　at　once　sprang　to　the　halliards；　and　soon
the　great　sail　rose　on　the　mast。　Almost　instantly　the　Dragon
began　to　glide　away　from　the　galleys。　The　Danes　with　ropes
endeavoured　to　lash　themselves　to　her　sides；　but　these　were
severed　as　fast　as　thrown；　and　in　two　or　three　minutes　the
Dragon　had　drawn　herself　clear　of　them。　The　Danes　betook
themselves　to　their　oars；　but　many　of　these　had　been　broken
between　the　vessels；　and　rowing　their　utmost　they　could　only
just　keep　up　with　the　Dragon；　for　the　wind　was　blowing　freely。
Fully　half　the　oars　of　the　Dragon　were　broken；　but　the　rest
were　soon　manned；　and　she　then　rapidly　drew　away　from
her　pursuers。

〃I　am　not　going　to　run　further；〃　Edmund　said。　〃Now
that　we　have　once　shaken　them　off；　let　us　turn　and　meet
them　again。〃

As　the　vessel's　head　was　brought　up　into　the　wind　the
Danes　ceased　rowing。　The　fate　which　had　befallen　their　two
galleys　at　the　commencement　of　the　fight　was　still　before
them。　They　had　lost　great　numbers　of　men　in　the　attempt　to
board　from　the　Saxon　pikes　and　arrows；　and　their　desire　to
renew　the　fight　vanished　when　they　saw　that　the　Saxons　were
equally　ready。　Therefore；　as　the　Dragon　approached　them；
they　sheered　off　on　either　side　of　her　and　rowed　for　the　mouth
of　the　Medway。

The　Saxons　did　not　pursue。　They　had　lost　eight　men
killed；　and　seventeen　wounded　by　the　Danish　arrows；　and
were　well　content　to　be　quit　of　their　opponents；　upon　whom
they　had　inflicted　a　severe　blow；　as　each　of　the　galleys　sunk
had　contained　fully　a　hundred　and　fifty　men；　and　great　numbers
of　the　Danes　on　board　the　other　ships　had　fallen。

They　now　left　the　Thames　and　sailed　to　Sandwich。　The
town　had　been　shortly　before　burned　by　the　Danes；　but　these
had　left；　and　some　of　the　inhabitants　had　returned。　Here
the　Dragon　waited　for　a　week；　by　the　end　of　which　time　the
traces　of　the　conflict　had　been　obliterated；　and　new　oars
made。　Edmund　found　no　difficulty　in　filling　up　the　vacancies
caused　in　the　fight；　as　many　of　the　young　Saxons　were
burning　to　avenge　the　sufferings　which　the　Danes　had　inflicted；
and　could　have　obtained　several　times　the　number
he　required　had　there　been　room　for　them。　He　was　therefore
enabled　to　pick　out　sturdy　fellows　accustomed　to　the
sea。　When　the　Dragon　again　set　sail　her　head　was　laid　to　the
northward；　as　Edmund　intended　to　cruise　off　East　Anglia；
from　whose　shores　fleets　were　constantly　crossing　and
recrossing　to　Denmark。

They　picked　up　several　prizes　at　the　mouths　of　the　eastern
rivers；　scarc