Eight others were stationed with leather water-bags to quench any fire-arrows which might come aboard, while others were sent up the mast, to lie along the yard and drop stones or shoot arrows as the occasion served.
"Let them be supplied with all that is heavy and weighty in the ship," said Sir Nigel.
"Then we must send them up Sir Oliver Buttesthorn," quoth Ford.
The knight looked at him with a face which struck the smile from his lips.

"No squire of mine," he said, "shall ever make jest of a belted knight.

And yet," he added, his eyes softening, "I know that it is but a boy's mirth, with no sting in it.

Yet I should ill do my part towards your father if I did not teach you to curb your tongue-play." "They will lay us aboard on either quarter, my lord," cried the master.
"See how they stretch out from each other! The Norman hath a mangonel or a trabuch upon the forecastle.

See, they bend to the levers! They are about to loose it." "Aylward," cried the knight, "pick your three trustiest archers, and see if you cannot do something to hinder their aim.