we could possibly capture more
than we did."

"I should think not," Matteo said. "I had never dreamt of doing more
than recovering the Pluto, and when you first talked about that, it
seemed almost like madness. I don't think one of us had the slightest
belief in the possibility of the thing, when you first proposed it."

"I thought it was to be managed somehow," Francis said. "It would have
been a shame, indeed, if a hundred and fifty men were to be kept
prisoners for a fortnight, or three weeks, by a third of their number."

"Well, certainly no one would have thought of making the attempt, if
you had not proposed it, Francis. I believe, even if you were to
propose our sailing north, and capturing Genoa, there is not a man on
board but would follow you willingly, with the firm conviction that you
would succeed."

"In that case, Matteo," Francis said, laughing, "it is very lucky for
you that I am not at all out of my mind. Signal now to Parucchi to
lower his boats, and come on board with our men. We may fall in yet
with another Genoese squadron, and may as well have our full complement
on board, especially as Parucchi has found two hundred men already on
board the vessel we captured."

Parucchi and his men soon transferred themselves to the Pluto, and the
four vessels hoisted their sails, and made for the south. They had
learned, from their captives, that the squadron had already passed
through the Straits of Messina, and that it was at Messina they had
stopped and taken in provision two days before. Indeed, when, late in
the afternoon, the sky cleared and the sun shone out, they saw the
mountains of Calabria on their left.

Learning, from the captives, that no Genoese vessels had been seen in
the straits as they passed through, Francis did not hesitate to order
the course to be shaped for the straits, instead of sailing round
Sicily, as he would have done had there been any chance of falling in
with a hostile squadron, in passing between the islands and the
mainland.

"I should like to have seen the face of the commander of the Genoese
squadron this morning," Matteo said, "when he discovered that four of
his vessels were missing. He can hardly have supposed that they were
lost, for although the wind was strong, it blew nearly dead aft, and
there was nothing of a gale to endanger well-handled ships. I almost
wonder that he did not send back the two fully manned galleys he had
with him, to search for us."

"Pe