nd hearing
nothing but the shriek of the tempest, some one touched his shoulder
and a stranger's voice sounded in his ear.

'Good fisherman,' it said, 'wilt thou row me over to San Giorgio
Maggiore? I will pay thee well if thou wilt go.'

The fisherman looked across the swirling waters to where the tall
bell-tower upon the distant island could just be seen through the
driving mist and rain.

'How is it possible to row across to San Giorgio?' he asked. 'My little
boat could not live for five minutes in those raging waters.'

But the stranger only insisted the more, and besought him to do his
best.

So, as the fisherman was a hardy old man and had a bold, brave soul, he
loosed the boat and set off in all the storm. But, strangely enough, it
was not half so bad as he had feared, and before long the little boat
was moored safely by the steps of San Giorgio Maggiore.

Here the stranger left the boat, but bade the fisherman wait his return.

Presently he came back, and with him came a young man, tall and strong,
bearing himself with a knightly grace.

'Row now to San Niccolo da Lido,' commanded the stranger.

'How can I do that?' asked the fisherman in great fear. For San Niccolo
was far distant, and he was rowing with but one oar, which is the
custom in Venice.

'Row boldly, for it shall be possible for thee, and thou shalt be well
paid,' replied the stranger calmly.

So, seeing it was the will of God, the fisherman set out once more,
and, as they went, the waters spread themselves out smoothly before
them, until they reached the distant San Niccolo da Lido.

Here an old man with a white beard was awaiting them, and when he too
had entered the boat, the fisherman was commanded to row out towards
the open sea.

Now the tempest was raging more fiercely than ever, and lo! across the
wild waste of foaming waters an enormous black galley came bearing down
upon them. So fast did it approach that it seemed almost to fly upon
the wings of the wind, and as it came near the fisherman saw that it
was manned by fearful-looking black demons, and knew that they were on
their way to overwhelm the fair city of Venice.

But as the galley came near the little boat, the three men stood
upright, and with outstretched arms made high above them the sign of
the cross, and commanded the demons to depart to the place from whence
they had come.

In an instant the sea became calm, and with a horrible shriek the
demons in their blac