ing in or out every day to cruise along the
coast. A few may have taken up their station there, without attracting
notice among the townspeople."

The opening of the passage known as the Canal of Lombardy was first
visited. To gain this, they had to retrace their steps for some
distance, and to row through the town of Chioggia, passing several
boats and galleys, but without attracting notice. They found the mouth
of the canal entirely unguarded, and then returned and rowed out to the
mouth of the Brondolo passage. Some blazing fires on the shore showed
that there were parties of soldiers here, but no ships were lying
anywhere in the channel.

After some consultation they determined that, as no watch seemed to be
kept, it would be shorter to row on outside the islands, and to enter
by the third passage to be examined, that between Pelestrina and
Brondolo. Here, however, the Genoese were more on the alert, as the
Pelestrina shore was held by the Venetians. Scarcely had they entered
the channel, when a large rowboat shot out from the shadow of the shore
and hailed them.

"Stop rowing in that boat! Who are you that are entering so late?"

"Fishermen," Philippo shouted back, but without stopping rowing.

"Stop!" shouted the officer, "till we examine you! It is forbidden to
enter the channel after dark."

But the gondoliers rowed steadily on, until ahead of the boat coming
out. This fell into their wake, and its angry officer shouted threats
against the fugitives, and exhorted his men to row their hardest.

"There are two more boats ahead, signor. They are lying on their oars
to cut us off. One is a good deal further out than the other, and I
don't think we shall gain Pelestrina."

"Then make for the Brondolo shore till we have passed them," Francis
said.

The boat whirled off her course, and made towards the shore. The
Genoese galleys ahead at once made towards them; but in spite of the
numerous oars they pulled, the craft could not keep up with the racing
gondola, and it crossed ahead of them. In another five minutes' rowing,
the three galleys were well astern, and the gondola again made out from
the shore, her head pointing obliquely towards Pelestrina. The galleys
were now fifty yards behind, and although their crews rowed their
hardest, the gondola gradually gained upon them, and crossing their
bows made over towards Pelestrina.

"We are out of the channel now," Philippo said, "and there will not be
water en