ing, and said that his own
name was Smees--si--il capitano, or Sir Smees."

"Professed? Do you not know that this lugger was the notorious French
privateer, le Feu-Follet?"

"I know they say so now, Signori; but the vice-governatore and I
supposed her to be ze Ving-y-Ving."

"And do you not know that the prisoner is actually Raoul Yvard; of your
own knowledge, I mean?"

"Corpo di Bacco!--How should I know any such thing, Signor
Guideca-Avvocato," exclaimed Vito Viti, who literally translated what he
understood to be the title of his interrogator, thereby converting him
into a sort of ship-felucca--"how should I know any such thing? I do
not keep company with corsairs, except when they come upon, our island
and call themselves 'Sir Smees.'"

The Judge Advocate and the members of the court looked gravely at each
other. No one in the least doubted that the prisoner was Raoul Yvard,
but it was necessary legally to prove it before he could be condemned.
Cuffe was now asked if the prisoner had not confessed his own identity,
but no one could say he had done so in terms, although his conversation
would seem to imply as much. In a word, justice was like to be in what
is by no means an unusual dilemma for that upright functionary, viz.,
unable to show a fact that no one doubted. At length Cuffe recollected
Ghita and Ithuel, and he wrote their names on a piece of paper, and
passed them down the table to the Judge Advocate. The latter nodded his
head, as much as to say he understood the president's meaning; and then
he told the prisoner he might cross-examine the witness if he saw fit.

Raoul fully understood his situation. Although he certainly had not
entered the Bay of Naples with any of the ordinary views of a spy, he
was aware how far he had committed himself, and foresaw the readiness
with which his enemies would destroy him, could they find the legal
means of so doing. He also comprehended the dilemma in which his
accusers were placed for the want of testimony, and at once resolved to
turn the circumstance as much as possible to his advantage. Until that
moment the idea of denying his own identity had never crossed his mind;
but perceiving what he fancied an opening for escape, it was but natural
to avail himself of its protection. Turning, then, to the podesta, he
put his questions in English, that they might go fairly through the same
process of interpretation as the rest of the examination.

"You say, Signor Pode