Then Carpalim:—
"As for me, Your Royal Highness, I promise to slip into the camp if ever a bird can fly there, because my body is so light that I can jump their trenches and leap through their tents before their keenest eyes can see me. I am afraid of neither arrows nor bow-shots. As for their swift horses, I laugh at them. I undertake to skim over an ear of corn or the tall meadow grass, without either ever bending under me. For I am of the lineage of Camilla, the Amazon."
Carpalim had scarcely declared that he was of the lineage of Camilla, the Amazon, when a great shout was heard; and the whole party, turning round to find whence the noise came, saw six hundred light cavalry riding at full speed to see what ship had come into port, and to capture the crew if fast riding and loud shouting could do it.
Pantagruel's big nostrils opened and shut, and went up and down in excitement, as he roared out:—
"My lads, get you at once to the ship! You see our enemies there? I shall kill them, if they were ten times their number, just as easily as though they were so many beasts. So get in there, and you will have some sport!"
But Panurge, who, if a coward, was very sly, had been hatching a plan of his own, and answered:—
"No, my lord, there is no need of your taking so much trouble. On the contrary, you are the one to go into the ship, both you and the others, for I, myself, undertake, singly and without aid, to settle those rogues. But there is no time for delay. Seconds are worth hours now!"
The others joined in with Panurge.
"Well said, my lord. Let Your Highness retire, and we shall help Panurge in such a way that you will soon learn what we can do when we try."
Pantagruel, who saw that trick, not fight, was to win the battle, was highly amused at all this. As he started to go back into the ship, he said:—