force on board each of the fifteen captured galleys. I should
think it probable that there are not more than fifty men in charge of
the Pluto, and we number fully three times that force. The mere fact
that they let down our food to us by ropes, instead of bringing it
down, showed a consciousness of weakness."

"What you say is quite true," Paolo Parucchi, the other officer of the
Pluto, said; "but they are fifty well-armed men, and we are a hundred
and fifty without arms, and shut down in the hold, to which must be
added the fact that we are cut off from our men, and our men from us.
They are, as it were, without a head to plan, while we are without arms
to strike."

A murmur of approval was heard among some of the young men.

"I do not suppose that there are no difficulties in our way," Francis
said quietly; "or that we have only, next time the hatch is opened, to
say to those above, 'Gentlemen of Genoa, we are more numerous than you
are, and we therefore request you to change places with us
immediately.' All I have asserted, so far, is that we are sufficiently
strong to retake the ship, if we get the opportunity. What we have now
to settle, is how that opportunity is to come about.

"To begin with, has anyone a dagger or knife which has escaped the eye
of our searchers?"

No one replied.

"I was afraid that nothing had escaped the vigilance of those who
appropriated our belongings. As, however, we have no weapons or tools,
the next thing is to see what there is, in the hold, which can be
turned to account. It is fortunate we are on board the Pluto, instead
of being transferred to another ship, as we already know all about her.
There are some iron bolts driven in along a beam at the farther end.
They have been used, I suppose, at some time or other for hanging the
carcasses of animals from. Let us see whether there is any chance of
getting some of them out."

The iron pegs, however, were so firmly driven into the beam, that all
their efforts failed to move them in the slightest.

"We will give that up for the present," Francis said, "and look round
for something more available."

But with the exception of the water casks, the closest search failed to
find anything in the hold.

"I do not know whether the iron hoops of a cask would be of any use,"
Matteo said.

"Certainly they would be of use, if we get them off, Matteo."

"There is no difficulty about that," one of the others said, examining
the casks