In ten minutes she must come
alongside. Raoul had ascertained that there was water enough, were le
Feu-Follet lay, to permit a vessel like his prize to touch her; and many
things lay on deck, in readiness to be transferred to this tender,
previously to beginning to heave. The rocks too, were well garnished
with casks, cordage, shot, ballast, and such other articles and could be
come at--the armament and ammunition excepted. These last our hero
always treated with religious care, for in all he did there was a latent
determination resolutely to defend himself. But there ware no signs of
any such necessity's being likely to occur, and the officers began to
flatter themselves with their ability to get their lugger afloat, and in
sailing trim, before the usual afternoon's breeze should set in. In
waiting, therefore, for the arrival of the felucca, and in order that
the work might meet with no interruption when the men once began to
heave, the people were ordered to get their breakfasts.

This pause in the proceedings gave Raoul an opportunity to look about
him, and to reflect. Twenty times did he turn his eyes anxiously toward
the heights of St. Agata, where there existed subjects equally of
attraction and apprehension. It is scarcely necessary to say that the
first was Ghita; while the last arose from the fear that some curious
eye might recognize the lugger, and report her condition to the enemies
known to be lying at Capri, only a league or two on the other side of
the hills. But all was seemingly tranquil there, at that early hour; and
the lugger making very little show when her canvas was not spread, there
was reason to hope that the accident was as yet unseen. The approach of
the felucca would probably betray it; though the precaution had been
taken to order Ithuel to show no signs of national character.

Raoul Yvard was a very different man, at this moment of leisure and
idleness, from what he had been a few hours earlier. Then he trod the
deck of his little cruiser with some such feelings as the man who exults
in his strength and rejoices in his youth. Now he felt as all are apt to
feel who are rebuked by misfortunes and disease. Nevertheless, his
character had lost none of its high chivalry; and even there, as he sat
on the taffrail of the stranded Feu-Follet, he meditated carrying some
stout Englishman by surprise and boarding, in the event of his not
succeeding in getting off the lugger. The felucca would greatly