"Do not trifle with us, sir," Maria said sternly. "How can you put
Genoese galleys in a cage?"

"We cannot put them in a cage, but we can cage them up," Francis said.
"Pisani's intention is, if possible, to close all the entrances to the
canals round Chioggia. Thus, not only will the Genoese galleys be
unable to sally out to attack us, but the whole of the Genoese army
will be cooped up, and we shall then do to them what they have been
doing to us, namely, starve them out!"

"Capital, capital!" Maria said, clapping her hands. "Your Pisani is a
grand man, Francisco. And if he can do this for us, there is nothing
which we would not do to show our gratitude. But you won't find it
easy; besides, in the game of starving out, are we likely to win? The
contest will not be even, for they start on it full men and strong,
while our people are half starved already."

"I do not regard success as certain," Francis replied; "and Pisani
himself acknowledges the chances are very great against us. Still, it
is possible; and as nothing else seems possible, we are going to
attempt it."

Polani looked grave, when he heard of the mission which Francis was
going to undertake. Giulia's bright colour fled at once, and Maria said
angrily:

"You have no right to be always running into danger, Francisco. You are
not a Venetian, and there is no reason why you should be always running
risks greater than those which most Venetians are likely to encounter.
You ought to think of us who care for you, if you don't choose to think
of yourself."

"I did not volunteer for the service," Francis said. "I was asked by
the admiral to undertake it, and even had I wished it, I could hardly
have refused. The admiral selected me, not from any merit on my part,
but because he knows that my boat is one of the fastest on the lagoons,
and that I can easily run away from any of the Genoese rowboats. He
particularly ordered me to run no unnecessary risks."

"That is all very well," Maria said; "but you know very well that you
will run risks, and put yourself in the way of danger, if there is a
chance of doing so.

"You should tell him not to go, father!"

"I cannot do that, Maria; for the service he has undertaken is a very
important one to Venice. Everything depends upon the success of
Pisani's attempt, and undertaken, as it is, against great odds, it is
of the utmost importance that there should be no mistake as to the
position of the enemy. Whether Fr