52 THE BOY CRUSADERS.

‘My lord earl and gentlemen,’ said the chaplain;
‘I never remember any distress in our parish, either
from too much abundance or from want of rain, or
from any other plague, but that God delivered us
from it, and caused everything to happen as well as
could have been wished, when a procession had been
made three times with devotion on a Saturday.’ |

‘Wherefore,’ suggested the Earl, ‘ you would have
us do likewise, as deeming the ceremony likely to
deliver us from our peril ?’

‘Even so,’ continued the churchman. ‘I recom-
mend, noble Earl, that, as this day is Saturday, we
instantly commence walking in procession round the
masts of the ship.’

‘By all means,’ replied the Earl, ‘let us forth-
with walk in procession as you recommend. Worse
than foolish would it be on our parts to neglect such
a ceremony. A simple remedy, on my faith, for such
an evil.’

Accordingly, the skipper issued orders through
the ship; and all on board were assembled on deck,
and, headed by the priests, solemnly walked in pro-
cession round the masts, singing as they walked;
and, however it came to pass, the ceremony seemed
to have the effect which the chaplain had _prog-
nosticated. From that moment everything went
smoothly. Almost immediately afterwards they lost
sight of the mountain, and cast all fear of the Saracens
of Barbary to the winds; and ere long they had the
gratification of hearing the ery of ‘Land, and of
seeing before their eyes the far-famed island of
Cyprus.