hold that command, or that of
captain general. It is all one to me, so that I can serve the republic.
And Giustiniani is an able man, and will no doubt do his business well.

"You do not think so, young man?" he broke off, when Francis shook his
head.

"I do not, indeed, sir. He has erected two wooden towers at the mouth
of the Lido, which the first stone from a Genoese ballista would knock
to splinters; and has put up a fence to San Spirito, which a Genoese
soldier in full armour could jump over."

"Well, we shall see, Messer Hammond," the admiral said, smiling. "I
fear you have one bad quality among your many good ones, and that is
that you are a partisan. But go along now. I have no more time to spare
to you."

No sooner had Pisani obtained the supreme command, than he set to work
in earnest to provide for the safety of the city, the reorganization of
the navy, and the conversion of the new levies into soldiers and
sailors. The hulls of forty galleys, which were lying in the arsenals,
were taken in hand, and two-thirds of them were equipped and ready for
sea in three days.

The population was full of ardour and enthusiasm, and crowded to the
offices to register their names for service. The women brought their
jewels, to be melted down into money; and all vied with each other in
zeal.

Pisani's first task, after seeing the galleys put in hand, was to
examine the defences Giustiniani had erected. He at once pronounced the
two wooden towers--of which Francis had spoken so disrespectfully--to
be utterly useless, and ordered two tall towers, of solid masonry, to
be erected in their stead.

Giustiniani was indignant at this condemnation of his work; and he and
his friends so worked upon the minds of those who were to carry out the
work, that they laid down their tools, and refused to embark upon such
useless operations. The news was brought to Pisani by one of his
friends, and, starting in his gondola, he was soon upon the spot.

He wasted no time in remonstrating with the workmen on their conduct,
but, seizing a trowel, lifted a heavy stone into its place, shouting:

"Let him who loves Saint Mark follow my example!"

The success of the appeal was instantaneous. The workmen grasped their
tools. A host of volunteers seized the stones and carried them to their
places. When they were exhausted, fresh workmen took their places, and
in the incredibly short time of four days, the two castles were
finished.

The w