duced more caution than might
otherwise have been shown. Still, there was no reason to suspect the
character of the felucca, and the confident manner in which she came
down toward the lugger, though considerably in-shore of her, gave reason
to believe that _she_ at least was ignorant that le Feu-Follet was
an enemy.

"That felucca is the craft which lay near the landing," quietly observed
Raoul, who had now come on the forecastle with a view to converse with
Ithuel; "her name is la Divina Providenza; she is given to smuggling
between Leghorn and Corsica, and is probably bound to the latter at this
moment. It is a bold step, too, to stand directly for her port under
such circumstances!"

"Leghorn is a free port," returned Ithuel; "and smuggling is not
needed."

"Aye, free as to friends, but not free to come and go between enemies.
No port is free in that sense; it being treason for a craft to
communicate with the foe, unless she happen to be le Feu-Follet,"
observed Raoul, laughing; "we _are_ privileged, _mon brave_!"

"Corsica or Capraya, she'll reach neither to-day, unless she find more
wind. I do not understand why the man has sailed with no more air than
will serve to blow out a pocket-handkerchief."

"These little feluccas, like our little lugger, slip along even when
there seems to be no wind at all. Then he may be bound to Bastia; in
which case he is wise in getting an offing before the zephyr sets in for
the afternoon. Let him get a league or two out here more to the
northwest, and he can make a straight wake to Bastia, after his
siesta is over."

"Aye, there go those greedy Englishmen a'ter him!" said Ithuel; "it's
as I expected; let 'em see the chance of making a guinea, and they'll
strive for it, though it be ag'in law or ag'in natur'. Now, what have
they to do with a Neapolitan felucca, England being a sworn friend
of Naples?"

Raoul made no reply to this, but stood watching the movement in silence.
The reader will readily enough understand that Ithuel's remark was
elicited by the appearance of the boats, which, five in number, at that
instant pulled off from the frigate's side and proceeded steadily toward
the felucca.

It may be necessary now to mention the relative positions of the
parties, the hour, and the precise state of the weather, with a view to
give the reader clear ideas of the events that succeeded. Le Feu-Follet
had not materially changed her place since her jib-sheet was first
haule