ren't the two
lads I was to convoy! Who are you and how did you get here?"

"We were hunting for our ship after dark," Agathemer said, "and somebody
hailed us. We asked whether it was Orontides and the answer that came back
was: 'Aye, Aye!' We were pretty thoroughly drunk and were glad to be
helped aboard and shown our beds. That's all I know."

"Kingdom of Pluto!" the shipmaster cried, "my name's Gerontides, not
Orontides. I heard your question, but you were so drunk I never knew the
difference: probably I shouldn't have known the difference if you had been
sober. I was on the lookout for two lads much like you two who had part
paid me to carry them to Genoa. They'll be in a fix."

"'Bout ship," said Agathemer, "and put back to Ostia. You can't be far on
your way yet. We'll pay you what you ask to set us ashore at Ostia."

"I wouldn't 'bout ship," said Gerontides, "for twenty gold pieces."

"We'll pay you thirty," said Agathemer.

"Don't bid any higher, son," Gerontides laughed. "If you were made of
gold, to Genoa you go. I've a bigger stake in a quick landing at Genoa
than any sum you could name would overbalance. Best be content!"

And content we had to be, no arguments, no entreaties, nothing would move
him.

"I'll be fair with you," he said. "The lads I took you for had paid me all
I had asked them except one gold piece each on landing at Genoa. That's
all you'll have to pay me."

Nothing would budge him from his resolution. Agathemer in despair drowned
his misery in flageolet playing. It seemed to comfort him and certainly
comforted me. The crew were delighted. After a voyage as easy and pleasant
as our cruise with Maganno, we landed on the eighth day before the Ides of
September, at Genoa, paid our two gold pieces and set about getting out of
that city as quickly as might be. We avoided, of course, the posting-
station where we had changed horses while in couriers' trappings. But
there was a posting-station at each gate of Genoa and we, having talked
over all possibilities in the intervals of flageolet playing, were for
Dertona. We had little trouble in buying a used travelling-carriage.
Horses we did not have to wait long for, as hiring teams were luckily
plentiful that day and Imperial agents scarce. Off we set for Milan.

We were in haste but there was no hurrying postillions on those mountain
roads. We nooned at some nameless change-house and were glad to make the
thirty-six miles to Libarium by dus