FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   266   267   268   269   270   271   272   273   >>  
ck in good order to our boats, and take to our ships, and then either return to Venice, or sail out and give battle, as it may be decided." The boats, before starting, had been told to hoist white flags should the galleys be Venetian, but to show no signal if they were Genoese. The boats were watched, from the mastheads, until they became specks in the distance. An hour afterwards, the lookout signalled to those on shore that they were returning. "Go off again, Francisco. I must remain here to keep up the men's hearts, if the news be bad. Take your stand on the poop of my ship, and the moment the lookouts can say, with certainty, whether the boats carry a white flag or not, hoist the Lion of Saint Mark to the masthead, if it be Zeno. If not, run up a blue flag!" Chapter 20: The Triumph Of Venice. Francis rowed off to the ship, got the flags in readiness for hoisting, and stood with the lines in his hand. "Can you make them out, yet?" he hailed the men at the mastheads. "They are mere specks yet, signor," the man at the foremast said. The other did not reply at once, but presently he shouted down: "Far as they are away, signor, I am almost sure that one or two of them, at least, have something white flying." There was a murmur of joy from the men on the deck, for Jacopo Zippo was famous for his keenness of sight. "Silence, men!" Francis said. "Do not let a man shout, or wave his cap, till we are absolutely certain. Remember the agony with which those on shore are watching us, and the awful disappointment it would be, were their hopes raised only to be crushed, afterwards." Another ten minutes, and Jacopo slid rapidly down by the stays, and stood on the deck with bared head. "God be praised, signor! I have no longer a doubt. I can tell you, for certain, that white flags are flying from these boats." "God be praised!" Francis replied. "Now, up with the Lion!" The flag was bent to the halyards and Francis hoisted it. As it rose above the bulwark, Pisani, who was standing on a hillock of sand, shouted out at the top of his voice: "It is Zeno's fleet!" A shout of joy broke from the troops. Cheer after cheer rent the air, from ship and shore, and then the wildest excitement reigned. Some fell on their knees, to thank God for the rescue thus sent when all seemed lost. Others stood with clasped hands, and streaming eyes, looking towards heaven. Some danced and shouted. Some wept with j
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   266   267   268   269   270   271   272   273   >>  



Top keywords:

Francis

 
shouted
 

signor

 
specks
 
Venice
 

flying

 
Jacopo
 

praised

 
mastheads
 

Another


rapidly
 

minutes

 

keenness

 

Silence

 

absolutely

 

Remember

 

raised

 

disappointment

 
watching
 
crushed

Pisani

 

rescue

 

wildest

 
excitement
 

reigned

 

heaven

 
danced
 

Others

 

clasped

 
streaming

hoisted

 
bulwark
 

halyards

 
replied
 

famous

 

troops

 

hillock

 
standing
 

longer

 
hailed

lookout
 

signalled

 
returning
 

watched

 
distance
 
Francisco
 

hearts

 

remain

 

Genoese

 
signal