o occasion for haste, they will not be rowing at
their full power, with so long a passage before them."

Already, indeed, one of the knights had perched himself on the seat at
the top of a low mast some fifteen feet above the poop, that served as a
lookout.

"You can see nothing yet, I suppose, Cairoli?"

"No; the line of sea is clear all round."

It was indeed some four hours before the knight on the lookout cried
that he could make out three dark specks on the horizon. Gervaise at
once ascended to the lookout, by the ladder that was fixed against the
post.

"They are making to the left of the course we are taking. Turn her head
rather more to the west. That will do. They are directly ahead now." He
then came down to the deck again. "I would that we had seven or eight
more hours of daylight, Ralph, instead of but three at the outside.
However, as we know the course they are taking, we are not likely to
miss them, for as we shall not be near enough for them to make us out
before the sun sets, there will be no chance of their changing it. Do
you think they will row all night?"

"I should not think so. If the land were nearer they might keep on until
they make it, but as they have had no wind since daylight, they will lie
on their oars until morning. You see, at sunset they will still be some
eighty miles from Cape Carbonara, and the slaves could not possibly row
that distance without rest; so that if we keep on we may take them by
surprise."

"That is what I have been thinking, Ralph, but it would be well not to
attack them until nearly daybreak. We should capture one galley easily
enough; but the others, being ignorant of our force, might make off in
different directions, and we might lose both of them. If, on the other
hand, we could fall upon them a short time before daylight, we should be
able to keep them in sight, and, even if they separated, they would soon
come together and continue their course, or, as I hope, when they see
that we are alone, bear up and fight us. I think that our best plan will
be to row on until it is dark, then give the slaves six hours' rest, and
after that go on quietly. If we can make them out, which we may do if
they have lights on board, we will stop, and wait until it is the hour
to attack them. If we miss them, we will row on to Sardinia and lie up,
as we proposed, until they come along."

"I think that will be a very good plan, Gervaise."

Before sunset the three pirate shi