btain a guide to my house, which he
reached five minutes only before the arrival of the pirates there."

"Admirable, indeed! And we are all vastly indebted to him, for had it
not been for him, we should not have known of the doings of these
scoundrels until too late to cut off their retreat; and, once away in
their ship again, they might long have preyed upon our commerce, before
one of our cruisers happened to fall in with them.

"As for Ruggiero Mocenigo, he is a disgrace to the name of a Venetian;
and it is sad to think that one of our most noble families should have
to bear the brand of being connected with a man so base and villainous.
However, I trust that his power of ill doing has come to an end.

"Is the vessel a fast one, signor?"

"I cannot say whether she sails fast," Francis replied; "but she
certainly rows fast."

"I trust that we shall catch her before she gets under way," the
commander of the galleys said. "Our vessels are not made for rowing,
although we get out oars to help them along in calm weather."

"What course do you propose to take?" the merchant asked.

"When we approach the spot where she is likely to be lying, I shall
order the captains of the other two ships to lie off the coast, a
couple of miles distant and as far from each other, so that they can
cut her off as she makes out to sea. We will follow the coast line,
keeping in as close as the water will permit, and in this way we shall
most likely come upon her. If we should miss her, I shall at the first
dawn of morning join the others in the offing, and keep watch till she
appears from under the shadow of the land."

It was now three o'clock in the morning, and an hour later the three
vessels parted company, and the galley with the governor and commander
of the squadron rowed for the shore. When they came close to the land,
the captain ordered the oars to be laid in.

"The breeze is very light," he said; "but it is favourable, and will
enable us to creep along the shore. If we continue rowing, those in
charge of the ship may hear us coming, and may cut their cables, get up
sail, and make out from the land without our seeing them. On a still
night, like this, the sound of the sweeps can be heard a very long
distance."

Quietly the vessel made her way along the shore. Over the land, the sky
was red with the reflection of numerous fires, but this only made the
darkness more intense under its shadow, and the lead was kept going in