got the philosophy, too," he said. "_That_ was no small part of
the good cheer. _Ciel!_ it was worth some risk to have the advantage of
attending such a school. Did you understand the matter in dispute
between the two Italians, brave Etooelle?"

"I heerd their _Eye_-talian jabber," answered Ithuel; "but supposed it
was all about saints' days and eating fish. No reasonable man makes so
much noise when he is talking sense."

"_Pardie_--it was _philosophy!_ They laugh at us French for living by
the rules of reason rather than those of prejudice; and then to hear
what _they_ call philosophy! You would scarce think it, Ghita,"
continued Raoul, who was now light of heart, and full of the scene he
had so lately witnessed--"you would hardly think it, Ghita, but Signor
Andrea, sensible and learned as he is, maintained that it was not folly
to believe in a philosophy which teaches that nothing we see or do
actually exists, but that everything was mere seeming. In short, that we
live in an imaginary world, with imaginary people in it; float on an
imaginary sea, and cruise in imaginary ships."

"And was all that noise about an idee, Captain Rule?"

"_Si_--but men will quarrel about an idea--an imaginary thing, Etooelle
as stoutly as about substantials. Hist! They will chase imaginary
things, too, as are the boats ahead of us at this moment."

"There are others following us," observed Carlo Giuntotardi, who was
more alive to surrounding objects than common; and who, from his
habitual silence, often heard that which escaped the senses of others.
"I have noticed the sound of their oars some time."

This produced a pause, and even a cessation in the rowing, in order that
the two seamen might listen. Sure enough, the sound of oars was audible
outside, as well as in shore, leaving no doubt that some pursuers were
still behind them. This was bringing the fugitives between two fires, as
it might be; and Ithuel proposed pulling off at right angles to the
course again, in order to get into the rear of the whole party. But to
this Raoul objected. He thought the boats astern were still so distant
as to enable them to reach the shore in time to escape. Once on the
rocks, there could be little danger of being overtaken in the darkness.
Still, as it was a first object with Raoul to rejoin his lugger as soon
as possible, after landing Ghita, he did not wish to place his boat in
any situation of much risk. This induced some deliberation; and i