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They hesitated, therefore, about returning to the castle; and the Greek, Captain Vassilato, gave it as his opinion, that it would be more prudent to seek for food in the village, and to pretend to be anxious to procure lodgings for the night; that instead, however, of entering any house, they should, as soon as the inhabitants were retiring to rest, slip out and return to the bay; and that, while they were engaged in getting the boat ready, Captain Fleetwood should go up to the tower and bring down Miss Garden.
"Oh, never fear; Captain Vassilato and I examined them after we got down to the boat, and we loaded them on board the mistico," said Bowse. "Take a steady aim when you fire, sir. If you can but hit one or two of the men at the oars, it will throw them into great confusion." "Shall I fire, sir?" asked Jack of his captain.
Captain Fleetwood thanked him very much, and assured him that he was eager to hear the plan he would advise him to follow. On this, Captain Teodoro Vassilato, for such was the name of his new Greek friend, explained it to him, and promised him his assistance in carrying it out. What it was it is not necessary here to detail, as it will be fully developed in a future part of this story.
After the conclusion of the Greek war, in which he greatly distinguished himself, Captain Teodoro Vassilato paid a visit to England to see his old friends, Captain and Mrs Fleetwood, and he is now an influential person in his native country. Our honest friend, Captain Bowse, must not be forgotten.
As the reader may have suspected, the shipwreck was the result of design rather than chance or mismanagement; and though they had long been waiting for a gale of wind, better to account for it, and as the most certain means of getting a footing on the island, they had scarcely bargained for one of such violence. As, however, Captain Vassilato was confident of the spot, they resolved to stand on.
"It is her, there can be no doubt," said Fleetwood; "but I wish my friend Captain Vassilato would understand our signal. I am afraid that he will destroy the mistico and kill those on board before we can get up to her." "There can be little to regret in that, sir," said Saltwell. "It will save the hangman some work, if he sends them all to the bottom together."
"I fear the knaves will have the best of it, sir," exclaimed Bowse, incautiously, forgetting the effect his observation might have upon Ada. "But, never fear, sir, we'll fight it out as long as we've hands to move. I'm sure Captain Vassilato and Mr Raby will, and I'll answer for Pietro and myself." "Thanks thanks my friends; I fear it must come to that," said Fleetwood.
As soon as the boats come back, I intend to give Tompion a fresh crew, and to leave him in the cutter, well armed and provisioned, to watch the island, while we go in search of the Ypsilante; and, as Captain Vassilato left her under my orders, I shall send her off with a requisition to any of our cruisers she can fall in with, to assemble at an island to the southward of this; and I have not the slightest doubt, that any captain, who happens to be senior officer, when he hears of what has occurred, will take the responsibility of ordering a grand attack on the island.
He was our friend Bowse, late master of the Zodiac, who, having been rescued from the fate which hung over him, had entreated Captain Fleetwood to be permitted to accompany him, and to share his dangers in recovering Miss Garden. The Greek captain, Teodoro Vassilato, was the person who had acted as interpreter.
"I am inclined to agree with Captain Vassilato," answered Bowse, "who seems to know the habits of the people, unless you have any reason to offer against it." "I should prefer facing the lion in his den; or, hearing that there are strangers in the island, he may suspect, and send for us, if we avoid him.
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