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As they drew near, they could make out Giuseppi throwing fresh wood on the fire. "You can steer within ten yards of where he is standing, captain, and directly you are abreast of him, put your helm hard to port. You had better get the sweeps in now, the less way she has on her the better." "All well?" Giuseppi hailed, as they came within fifty yards of it. "All well, Giuseppi!
"I have just seen your boat being carried along," Matteo said, as he entered the tent. "I could not think what it was till I got close; but of course, when I saw Giuseppi, I knew all about it. What are you going to do scout among the Genoese?" "I am going to find out as much as I can," Francis said. "It's a capital idea your bringing the boat across the island," Matteo said.
I thought I would wait a bit, and listen." "And have you heard anything?" "I have heard sounds several times." "What sort of sounds, Giuseppi?" "Such a sound as is made when the sails and yards are lowered. I have heard it over and over again when out at night on the lagoons near the port. There is no mistake in the creaking of the blocks as the halyards run through them.
Francis and Giuseppi were now rowing less strongly, and gaining breath for their next effort. When the gondola again came up to them they swept round to the left, and as their pursuers followed they headed for the Grand Canal. "Make for the steps of Santa Maria church. We will jump out there and trust to our feet." The two lads put out all their strength now.
I have particularly impressed upon him, in my letter, that we were especially anxious for the rescue of the captain, and the young man Giuseppi, so I hope that by the time you return from the voyage, I may have received some news of them." Matteo was greatly pleased when he heard that he was going to sail under Francis. "I would rather that we had both been volunteers," Francis said.
Giuseppi was paddling quietly, when a pair-oared gondola shot past them, and by the light of the torch it carried, Francis recognized the ladies sitting in it to be Maria and Giulia Polani with their duenna; two armed retainers sat behind them. They were, Francis supposed, returning from spending the evening at the house of some of their friends.
"I don't like parting with her," the young fisherman to whom she belonged said. "I tried her once or twice, and she went like the wind, but I got fever in my bones and I am unlikely to race again, and the times are hard, and I must part with her." Francis and Giuseppi gave her a trial, and were delighted with the speed and ease with which she flew through the water.
That evening, Francis crossed the lagoon in the gondola with Giuseppi, to inspect the boat he had heard of. It was just what he wanted. In appearance it differed in no way from an ordinary gondola, but it was a mere shell. The timbers and planking were extremely light, and the weight of the boat was little more than a third of that of other craft.
If we take them by surprise we can master them." "That will not do, Giuseppi. The woman would refuse to speak, and though they could force her to do so in the dungeons, the girls would be sure to be removed the moment it was known she was captured. We must follow them, and see where they go to. Let us get well behind them, so that we can just make them out in the distance.
Having obtained all the information he could from the old fishermen, Francis dismissed them. "It is evident," he said to Giuseppi, "that we can hardly hope to succeed in passing the boats at the entrance to the canal seaward, or by going up the lagoon.
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