Chapter 9: The Capture Of The Lido.
Signor Polani told Francis, that evening, that he was much pleased withthe report that the captain had given of his eagerness to acquireinformation both in mercantile and nautical matters, and of the mannerin which he had kept the ship's books, and the entries of the sales,and purchases of goods.
"Many young fellows at your age, Francis, when there was no compulsionfor them to have taken these matters into their charge, would havethought only of amusement and gaiety when they were in port, and I amglad to see that you have a real interest in them. Whatever the line inlife a young man takes up, he will never excel in it unless he goesinto it with all his heart, and I am very glad to see that you havethrown yourself so heartily into your new profession. The Bonito made amost satisfactory voyage, far more so than I anticipated, when I foundthat she would not be able to carry out the programme I had laid downfor her; but the rise in the prices in the latter part of your voyagehave more than made up for the loss of the trade in the Black Sea; andyou have done as much in the three months you were absent, as I shouldhave expected had you been, as I anticipated, six months away.
"You will be some little time before you start again, as I wish to seehow matters are going before I send the Bonito out upon anotheradventure. At present nothing is settled here. That there will be warwith Genoa before long is certain, but we would rather postpone it aslong as possible, and the senate has not yet arrived at the decision toaccept the offer of Tenedos. Negotiations are going on with Genoa andConstantinople, but I have little hope that anything will come of them.
"It is getting late in the season now, and the war will hardly breakout until next spring; but I have no doubt the struggle will thenbegin, and preparations are going on with all speed in the dockyards.We are endeavouring to obtain allies, but the combination is so strongagainst Venice that we are meeting with little success, and Ferrara isreally the only friend on whom we can rely, and she is not in aposition to aid us materially, in such a struggle as this will be.
"I am glad to tell you that the affair in which you were concerned,before you sailed, has now completely dropped. Nothing has been heardof Mocenigo since he made his escape.
"A decree of banishment was passed against him, but where he is we knownot. That wretched woman was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, butupon my petition she will be released at the end of six months, on herpromise that she will not again set foot in the territory of therepublic. As Mocenigo has not been brought to trial, there will be nofurther official inquiry into the matter, and I have not been furtherquestioned as to the source from which I obtained my information as tothe girls' hiding place. Your share in the matter is thereforealtogether unsuspected, and I do not think that there is any furtherdanger to you from Mocenigo's partisans."
"I should be glad enough to remain in Venice a fortnight or so, sir,"Francis said. "But if, at the end of that time, you have any vesselgoing out, I shall prefer to go in her. Now that my studies are over, Ishall very soon get tired of doing nothing. Perhaps in a few years Imay care more for the gaieties of Venice, but certainly at present Ihave no interest in them, and would rather be at sea. Matteo tells methat you have promised he shall make a few voyages in your ships, andthat you have told him he shall go in one of them shortly. If so, itwould be very pleasant to us both if we can sail together."
"I will arrange it so, Francisco. It would be for the benefit of mycousin--who is a good lad, but harebrained, and without ballast--foryou to go with him. I should indeed have proposed it, but the vessel inwhich I have decided he shall sail will be ready for sea in another tendays or so, and I thought that you would prefer a longer stay in Venicebefore you again set sail. If, however, it is your wish to be off againso soon, I will arrange for you both to sail together.
"This time you will go officially as my supercargo, since you nowunderstand the duties. The captain of the vessel in which you will sailis a good sailor and a brave man, but he has no aptitude for trade, andI must have sent a supercargo with him. Your decision to go relieves meof this, for which I am not sorry, for men who are at once goodsupercargos, and honest men, are difficult to get."
The fortnight passed rapidly, and Francis enjoyed his stay at themerchant's greatly, but he was not sorry when, at the end of ten days,Polani told him that the lading of the vessel would begin the next day,and that he had best go on board early and see the cargo shipped, sothat he might check off the bales and casks as they were sent on board,and see where each description of goods was stowed away.
"I think, papa, it is too bad of you, sending Francisco away so soon,"Maria said, when at their evening meal she learned the news of hisearly departure.
"It is his own doing," her father said. "It is he who wants to go, notI who send him. I consider that it is entirely your fault."
"Our fault!" the two girls repeated in surprise.
"Certainly. If you had made Venice sufficiently pleasant to him, hewould not wish to leave. I am too busy to see about such things, and Ileft it to you to entertain him. As he is in such a hurry to get awayagain, it is evident that you have not succeeded in doing so."
"Indeed, Signor Polani, your daughters have been everything that iskind, but I have no taste for assemblies and entertainments. I feel outof place there, amid all the gaily dressed nobles and ladies, and nosooner do I get there, than I begin to wonder how anyone can prefer theheated rooms, and clatter of tongues, to the quiet pleasure of a walkbackwards and forwards on the deck of a good ship. Besides, I want tolearn my profession, and there is so much to learn in it that I feel Ihave no time to lose."
"I am right glad to see your eagerness in that direction, Francisco,and I did but jest with my daughters. You have not yet asked me what isthe destination of the Lido, for that is the name of your new vessel.This time you are going quite in a new direction. In the spring we arecertain to have war with Genoa, and as Parma and Hungary will probablyboth take side against us, we may find ourselves cut off from themainland, and, in case of a disaster happening to our fleet, in sorestraits for food. I am, therefore, going to gather into my warehousesas much grain as they will hold. This will both be a benefit to thestate, and will bring me good profit, for the price of wheat will behigh in the city if we are leaguered on the land side.
"The Lido will go down to Sicily, and fill up there with corn. You willhave to use care before entering port, for with war now certain, bothparties will begin to snap up prizes when they get the chance. So youmust keep a sharp lookout for Genoese galleys. If you find the coast istoo closely watched, you will go to the Moorish ports. We are friendswith them at present, though doubtless, as soon as Genoa and ourselvesget to blows, they will be resuming their piratical work. Thus youwill, this time, take in a much smaller amount of cargo, as you willhave to pay for the most part in gold."
It mattered little to Francis where he voyaged; but Matteo, who hadbeen greatly delighted at the thought of sailing with his friend, wasmuch disappointed when he heard that they were only going to fetchgrain from Sicily.
"Why, it is nothing to call a voyage," he said in tones of disgust,when Francis told him the destination of the Lido. "I had hoped we weregoing to make a long voyage, and touch at all sorts of places, just asyou did last time."
"I do not see that it matters much, Matteo; and we shall learnnavigation just as well from one course as another. The voyage will notbe a long one, unless we meet with unfavourable winds; but there's nosaying what may happen, and you may meet with adventure, even on avoyage to Sicily and back."
The trip down to Sicily was quickly made. Francis had worked hard onhis first voyage, and was now able to make daily calculations as to therun made, the course steered, and the position of the ship, and foundthat these tallied closely with those of the captain. Matteo and heshared a large and handsome cabin, and the time passed pleasantly asthe vessel ran down the coast of Italy. Once out of the Adriatic asharp lookout was kept, but the coast of Sicily was made without seeingany sails of a suspicious
character.
The lads were struck with surprise and admiration when, on coming ondeck in the morning, they saw the great cone of Etna lying ahead ofthem. Neither of them had ever seen a mountain of any size, and theirinterest in the scene was heightened by a slight wreath of smoke, whichcurled up from the summit of the hill.
"It is well worth a voyage, if it were only to see that mountain,"Francis said. "What an immense height it is, and how regular in itsshape!"
"And yet," Matteo said, "those who have journeyed from Italy intoFrance tell me that there are mountains there beside which Etna is asnothing. These mountains are a continuation of the range of hills whichwe can see from Venice. Their tops are always covered with snow, andcannot be ascended by man; whereas it is easy, they say, to reach thetop of Etna."
"Yes, that looks easy enough," Francis agreed. "It seems such a regularslope, that one could almost ride up; but I dare say, when you areclose you would find all sorts of difficult places."
"I should like to try," Matteo said. "What a grand view there would befrom the top!
"Is the port we are going to try first, captain, anywhere near the footof the mountain?"
"No, I am going round the southern part of the island. On this side theground is less fertile, and we should have difficulty in obtaining acargo. But even were we to put into a port on this side, you would notbe able to climb Mount Etna.
"Sicily has been an unfortunate country. Its great natural wealth hasrendered it an object of desire, to all its neighbours. It was thebattleground of the Romans and Carthaginians. Pisa, Genoa, and Napleshave all contended for its possession; and the Moors frequently makedescents upon its coasts. It has seldom enjoyed a peaceful and settledgovernment. The consequence is that general lawlessness prevails in thedistricts remote from the towns; while in the forests that clothe theside of Mount Etna, there are numerous hordes of bandits who set theauthorities at defiance, levy blackmail throughout the surroundingvillages, and carry off wealthy inhabitants, and put them to ransom. Noone in his senses would think of ascending that mountain, unless he hadsomething like an army with him."
"I should like to try it, all the same," Matteo asserted. "If there arewoods all over it, it is not likely one would happen to meet with anyof these people. I should like, above all things, to get to the top ofthat hill."
"It would be harder work than you think, young sir," the captain said."You have no idea from this distance what the height is, or what a longjourney it is to ascend to the top. I have been told that it is ahundred and twenty miles round its foot."
"I don't think you would like it, Matteo, if you were to try it,"Francis said laughing. "You know you are as lazy as you can be, andhate exerting yourself. I am sure that, before you got a quarter thedistance up that mountain, you would have only one wish, and that wouldbe to be at the bottom again."
"I don't know," Matteo said. "I hate exerting myself uselessly--wastingmy strength, as you do, in rowing at an oar, or anything of that sort;but to do anything great, I would not mind exertion, and would go onuntil I dropped."
"That is all very well, Matteo; but to do anything great, you have gotto do small things first. You could never wield a sword for fiveminutes unless you had practised with it; and you will never succeed inaccomplishing any feats requiring great strength and endurance, if youdo not practise your muscles on every occasion. You used to grumble atthe height when you came up to my room in the old house, and I supposeEtna is something like two hundred times as high."
"That does sound a serious undertaking," Matteo said, laughing; "and Iam afraid that I shall never see the view from the top of Etna.Certainly I shall not, if it will be necessary beforehand to be alwaysexercising my muscles by running up the stairs of high houses."
The next day they were off Girgenti, the port at which they hoped toobtain a cargo. They steered in until they encountered a fishing boat,and learned from those on board that there was no Genoese vessel inport, nor, as far as the men knew, any state galleys anywhere in theneighbourhood. Obtaining this news, they sailed boldly into the portand dropped anchor.
Francis, who had received before starting a list of houses with whomSignor Polani was in the habit of doing business, at once rowed ashore,Matteo and Giuseppi accompanying him. His business arrangements weresoon completed. The harvest had been a good one, and there was anabundance of corn to be had at a cheap rate. In half an hour hearranged for as large a quantity as the Lido would carry.
The work of loading soon commenced, and in four days the ship was fullup to the hatches. Francis went on shore to settle the variousaccounts, and was just making the last payment when Matteo ran into theoffice.
"Four Genoese galleys are entering the bay!"
Francis ran out, and saw four Genoese galleys rowing in.
"It is too late to escape. Even were we empty we could not get away;but laden as the Lido is, they could row three feet to her one."
"What shall we do, Francisco?"
Francis stood for half a minute thinking.
"You had better stay here, Matteo. I will row out to the ship, and sendmost of the men on shore. If they seize the ship, they may not takethose on board prisoners; but if they do, there is no reason why theyshould take us all."
"You had better come on shore too, Francisco, and leave the captain incharge. You can do no good by staying there; and Polani would be moreconcerned at your capture than he would at the loss of a dozen ships.If you could do any good, it would be different; but as it is, it wouldbe foolish to risk capture."
"I will see," Francis said. "At any rate, do you stop here."
Jumping into a boat, he rowed towards the Lido, which was lying but acable's length from the shore. As he neared her, he shouted to the mento lower the boats.
"Captain," he said, "I do not know whether there is any danger of beingcaptured by the Genoese. But it is useless to run any unnecessary risk.Therefore send all the crew but three or four men on shore. If theGenoese board us, we have our papers as peaceful traders buying wheat;but if, in spite of that, they capture us, we must take our chance."
"Surely you are not thinking of stopping, Messer Francisco. The padronewould be terribly vexed if you were taken. He specially ordered me,before we started, to see that no unnecessary risk was run, and toprevent you from thrusting yourself into danger. Therefore, as captainof the ship, I must insist that you go on shore."
"I think I ought to stay here," Francis said.
"I do not think so," the captain said firmly, "and I will not sufferit. I have to answer for your safety to the padrone; and if you do notgo by yourself, I shall order the men to put you into one of the boatsby force. I mean no disrespect; but I know my duty, and that is toprevent you from falling into the hands of the Genoese."
"I will not oblige you to use force, captain," Francis said, smiling,"and will do as you wish me."
In five minutes the men were all--save four, whom the captain hadselected--in the boat, and rowing towards shore. Matteo was awaitingthem when they landed.
"That is right, Francisco. I was half afraid you would stay on board. Iknow how obstinate you are whenever you take a thing into your head."
"The captain was more obstinate still, Matteo, and said that unless Icame away he would send me on shore by force; but I don't likedeserting the ship."
"That is nonsense, Francisco. If the Genoese take her, they take her,and your remaining on board could not do any good. What are you goingto do now?"
"We will at once leave the place with the men, Matteo, and retire intothe country behind. It is not likely the Genoese would land and seizeus here, but they might do so, or the inhabitants, to please Genoa,might seize us and send us on board. At any rate, we shall be safer inthe country."
The men had, by the captain's orders, brought their arms ashore onleaving the ship. This was the suggestion of Francis, who said that,were they unarmed, the people might seize them and hand them over tothe Genoese. At the head of this party, which was about fifty strong,Francis march
ed up through the little town and out into the country. Hehad really but little fear, either that the Genoese would arrest themon shore, or that the people would interfere with them, for they wouldnot care to risk the anger of Venice by interfering in such a matter.He thought it probable, however, that if his men remained in the town,broils would arise between them and any of the Genoese sailors whomight land.
As soon as the Genoese galleys came up to the head of the bay, a boatwas lowered and rowed to the Lido, at whose masthead the Venetian flagwas flying. An officer, followed by six men, climbed up on to the deck.
"Are you the captain of this ship?" the officer asked as the captainapproached him.
"I am," the captain said.
"What ship is it?"
"It is the Lido, the property of Messer Polani, a merchant of Venice,and laden with a cargo of wheat."
"Then you are my prisoner," the Genoese said. "I seize this vessel aslawful prize."
"There is peace between the republics," the captain said. "I protestagainst the seizure of this ship, as an act of piracy."
"We have news that several of our ships have been seized by theVenetians," the officer said; "and we therefore capture this vessel inreprisal. Where are your crew?"
"There are only four on board," the captain said. "We have filled upour cargo, and were going to sail tomorrow, and therefore the rest ofthe crew were allowed to go on shore; and I do not think it is likelythat they will return now," for one of the Genoese sailors had hauleddown the flag of Venice, and had replaced it with that of Genoa.
The Genoese officer briefly examined the vessel.
"Whom have you here on board with you?" he asked, struck with thefurniture and fittings of Francis' cabin.
"This is the cabin of Matteo Giustiniani, a young noble of Venice, whois making his first voyage, in order to fit himself for entering theservice of the state: and of Francisco Hammond, who stands high in theaffections of my patron."
The Genoese uttered an angry exclamation. The name of Polani was wellknown in Genoa as one of the chief merchants of Venice and as belongingto a ducal house, while the family of Giustiniani was even moreillustrious; and had these passengers fallen into his hands, a ransommight have been obtained greatly exceeding the value of the Lido andher cargo. Leaving four of his men on board he went off to the galleyof the officer commanding the fleet, and presently returned with alarge boat full of sailors.
"You and your men can go ashore," he said to the captain. "The admiraldoes not deem you worth the trouble of carrying to Genoa; but be quick,or you will have to swim to shore."
As the Lido's boats had all gone ashore, the captain hailed a fishingboat which was passing, and with the four sailors was rowed to shore,well content that he had escaped the dungeons of Genoa. He rightlyimagined that he and his men were released solely on account of thepaucity of their numbers. Had the whole crew been captured, they wouldhave been carried to Genoa; but the admiral did not care to bring infive prisoners only, and preferred taking the ship alone.
Francis, with his party, followed the line of the coast, ascending thehills which rose steeply from the edge of the sea at a short distancefrom the town. He had brought with him from the town a supply of foodsufficient for four or five days, and encamped in a little wood nearthe edge of the cliff. From this they had a view of the port, and couldwatch the doings of the Genoese galleys. Fires were lit and meat cookedover them; and just as the meal was prepared the captain and the foursailors joined them, amid a hearty cheer from the crew.
"I have made my protest," the captain said as he took his seat by theside of Francis, "and the padrone can make a complaint before thecouncil if he thinks fit to do so; but there is small chance that hewill ever recover the Lido, or the value of her cargo."
"I don't like losing the ship," Francis said. "Of course, it is only astroke of bad fortune, and we could neither fly nor defend ourselves.Still one hates arriving home with the story that one has lost theship."
"Yes," the captain agreed. "Messer Polani is a just man, yet no onecares to employ men who are unlucky; and the worst of it is that thelast ship I commanded was wrecked. Many men would not have employed meagain, although it wasn't my fault. But after this second affair, in afew months' time, I shall get the name of being an unlucky man, and noone in his senses would employ a man who is always losing his ships."
"Do you think that there is any chance of our recapturing it, captain?"
"Not the least in the world," the captain replied. "Even supposing thatwe could get on board, and overpower the Genoese without being heard,and get her out of the port without being seen, we should not get away.Laden as she is with grain, she will sail very slowly, and the Genoesewould overtake her in a few hours; and I needn't tell you that thenthere would be very little mercy shown to any on board."
"That is true enough," Francis said. "Still, I do not like the idea oflosing the Lido."
After the meal was over Francis rose, and asked Matteo to accompany himon a stroll along the cliffs, Giuseppi as usual following them. Theywalked along until they rounded the head of the bay, and were able tolook along the coast for some distance. It was steep and rocky, andworn into a number of slight indentations. In one of these rose a ledgeof rocks at a very short distance from the shore.
"How much further are we going, Francis?" Matteo said when they hadwalked a couple of miles.
"About a quarter of a mile, Matteo. I want to examine that ledge ofrocks we saw from the first point."
"What on earth do you want to look at them for, Francis? You certainlyare the most curious fellow I ever met. You scoffed at me when I said Ishould like to go up Mount Etna, and now here you are, dragging mealong this cliff, just to look at some rocks of no possible interest toany one."
"That is the point to be inquired into, Matteo. I think it's possiblethey may prove very interesting."
Matteo shrugged his shoulders, as he often did when he felt too lazy tocombat the eccentric ideas of his English friend.
"There we are," Francis said at last, standing on the edge of the cliffand looking down. "Nothing could be better."
"I am glad you think so, Francisco," Matteo said, seating himself onthe grass. "I hope you intend to stay some little time to admire them,for I own that I should like a rest before I go back."
Francis stood looking at the rocks. The bay was a shallow one, and wasbut five or six hundred yards from point to point, the rocks risingnearly in a line between the points, and showing for about two hundredyards above water, and at about the same distance from the cliffsbehind them.
"What height do you think those rocks are above the water, Giuseppi?"
"It is difficult to judge, signor, we are so high above them; but Ishould think in the middle they must be ten or twelve feet."
"I should think it likely they were more than double that, Giuseppi;but we shall see better when we get down to the bottom. I daresay weshall find a place where we can clamber down somewhere."
"My dear Francisco," Matteo said earnestly, "is anything the matterwith you? I begin to have doubts of your sanity. What on earth do theserocks matter to you, one way or the other? or what can you care whetherthey are thirty inches or thirty feet above the water?
"They do not differ from other rocks, as far as I can see. They arevery rugged and very rough, and would be very awkward if they lay outat sea instead of in this little bay, where they are in nobody's way.Is it not enough that you have tramped two miles to have a look atthem, which means four miles, as we have got to return somehow? And nowyou talk about climbing down that break-neck cliff to have a look atthem close!"
But Francis paid no attention to Matteo's words. He was gazing downinto the clear smooth water, which was so transparent that every stoneand pebble at the bottom could be seen.
"The water looks extremely shallow, Giuseppi. What do you think?"
"It seems to me, signor, that there is not a foot of water between therocks and the shore."
"It does look so, Giuseppi; b
ut it is possible that the transparency ofthe water deceives us, and that there may be ten or twelve feet ofwater there. However, that is what we must go down and find out. Nowthe first thing is to look about, and find some point at which we canget down to the beach."
"Well, I will lie down and take a nap till you come back," Matteo saidin a tone of resignation. "I have no interest either in these rocks orin the water; and as far as I can protest, I do so against the wholeproceeding, which to me savours of madness."
"Don't you understand, you silly fellow, what I am thinking about?"Francis said impatiently.
"Not in the smallest degree, Francisco; but do not trouble to tellme--it makes no matter. You have some idea in your head. Carry it outby all means; only don't ask me to cut my hands, tear my clothes, andput myself into a perspiration by climbing down that cliff."
"My idea is this, Matteo. There is no chance of carrying off the Lidoby speed from the Genoese; but if we could get her out of the bay wemight bring her round here and lay her behind those rocks, and theGenoese would pass by without dreaming she was there. Half a mile outthose rocks would look as if they form part of the cliff, and nonewould suspect there was a passage behind them."
"That is something like an idea!" Matteo said, jumping to his feet."Why did you not tell me of it before? You have quite alarmed me.Seriously, I began to think that you had become a little mad, and waswondering whether I had not better go back and fetch the captain andsome of his men to look after you.
"Now let us look at your rocks again. Why, man, there is not waterenough to float a boat between them and the shore, much less the Lido,which draws nine foot of water now she is loaded."
"I don't know, Matteo. Looking down on water from a height is verydeceiving. If it is clear and transparent, there is nothing to enableyou to judge its depth. At any rate it is worth trying. Before we godown, we will cut some long stiff rods with which we can measure thedepth. But we have first to find a place where we can get down to thewater."
After a quarter of an hour's search, they found a point where thedescent seemed practicable. A little stream had worn a deep fissure inthe face of the rock. Shrubs and bushes had grown up in the crevicesand afforded a hold for the hands, and there appeared no greatdifficulty in getting down. Before starting they cut three stiffslender rods twelve feet in length. They then set to work to make thedescent. It was by no means difficult, and in a few minutes they stoodby the edge of the water.
"It is a great advantage, the path being so easy," Francis said, "forin case they did discover the ship we could land and climb to the topbefore they had time to come to shore, and once there we could keep thewhole force in those galleys at bay. Now for the main point, the depthof the water."
Matteo shook his head.
"It is useless to take the trouble to undress, Francis," he said, asthe latter threw off his jacket. "Giuseppi can wade out to the rockswithout wetting his knees."
"Giuseppi can try if he likes," Francis said, "but I will wager he willnot get far."
Giuseppi, as convinced as Matteo of the shallowness of the water,stepped into it, but was surprised to find that, before he had gonemany paces, the water was up to his waist.
"Well, I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it," Matteo saidwhen he returned, "but I think he must have got into a deep hole amongthe rocks. However, we shall soon see," and he too began to undress.
In a few minutes the three lads were swimming out towards the rockswhich, as Francis had anticipated, rose from twenty to thirty feetabove the level of the sea. The water deepened fast, and for the lastthirty or forty yards, they were unable to touch the bottom, even whenthrusting down their rods to the fullest depth. They then tried thedepth in the passages at the end of the rocks, and found that there wasample water for the Lido. When they ascertained this to theirsatisfaction they swam back to the shore.
"I shall believe you in future, Francis, even if you assert that themoon is made of cheese. I could have taken an oath that there was not afoot of water between those rocks and the shore."
"I hardly ventured to hope that it was as deep as it is," Francis said,"but I know how deceiving clear water is, when you look down upon itfrom a height. However, that point is settled."
"But they would see our masts above the rocks, Francisco. They are sureto keep a sharp lookout as they go along."
"We must take the masts out of her," Francis said. "I don't know how itis to be done, but the captain will know, and if that can't be managedwe must cut them down. There is no difficulty about that.
"Now we will make our way back again, it will be dark in a couple ofhours' time. Everything depends upon whether they have towed the Lidoout and anchored her among their galleys. If they have, I fear thescheme is impracticable, but if they let her remain where she is lying,we might get her out without being noticed, for there is no moon."
As they began to ascend the cliff, Francis stopped suddenly.
"We should never be able to find this place in the dark," he said.
"Giuseppi, you must stay here. Do you collect a quantity of driedsticks, and lay them in readiness at that point opposite the ledge. Wewill show a light as we come along, that is if we succeed in gettingthe Lido out, and directly you see it set fire to the sticks. The firewill be a guide to us as to the position of the rocks."
"Perhaps I had better take the sticks off to the ledge, MesserFrancisco, and light my fire on the rock at the end. The water is deepa few yards out, as we found, so you could sail close to the fire andthen round behind the rocks without danger."
"That will be the best way, Giuseppi; but how will you get the sticksoff without wetting them?"
"I will make a bundle three or four times as big as I want," Giuseppisaid, "and then half of them will be dry. I can put my clothes on themand the tinder. I will answer for the fire, but I would rather havebeen with you in your adventure."
"There will be no danger there, Giuseppi, so you need not be anxiousabout us. It has to be done quietly and secretly, and there will be nofighting. These Genoese are too strong to think of that; and if we arediscovered in the attempt, or as we make off, we shall take to ourboats again and row straight on shore.
"Keep a sharp lookout for us, we will hoist two lights, one above theother, to prevent your mistaking any fishing boat which may be comingalong for us.
"Now, Matteo, for a climb. We have no time to lose."
The two lads climbed to the top of the cliff, and then started at abrisk pace along the top, and in half an hour reached the wood.
"We were beginning to wonder what had become of you," the captain saidas they joined him.
"We have been settling how to carry off the Lido," Francis said, "andhave arranged everything."
The captain laughed.
"If we could fly with her through the air, you might get her away, butI see no other way. I have been thinking it over since you left. Withluck we might get her safely out of the bay, but the galleys row fourfeet to our one, and as they would be sure to send some one way, andsome the other, along the coast; they would pick us up again in two orthree hours after daylight."
"Nevertheless we have settled it, captain. We have found a place wherewe can hide her, and the Genoese might search the coast for a monthwithout finding her."
"If that be so it is possible," the captain said eagerly, "and you maybe sure you will not find us backward in doing our best."
Francis described the nature and position of the rock which wouldafford a shelter, and the means by which they had ascertained thatthere was plenty of water for the Lido behind it.
"It seems plausible," the captain said when he had concluded, "and I amquite ready to make the attempt, if, in your opinion, it can be done.You are Messer Polani's representative, and for my own sake as well ashis, I would do anything which promises a chance of recapturing theship. Besides, as you say, there is little danger in it, for we cantake to the boats and make for the shore if discovered.
"The Lido is still lying where
we anchored her. They can have no fearof a recapture, for they would know that they could overtake us easilyenough. I daresay they intend to sail tomorrow morning, and did notthink it worth the trouble to get up the anchor and tow her out towhere they are lying."
The details of the expedition were now discussed and arranged, and themen told off to their various duties, and at eleven o'clock at night,when all in the town were fast asleep, the party quitted the bivouacand marched down again to the port.