lugger and felucca, to inspect their preparations, and to say
a cheerful word to their men. He found most things to his mind; where
they were not, he ordered changes to be made. With the lieutenant his
conversation was brief, for that officer was one who possessed much
experience in this very sort of warfare, and could be relied on. With
Ithuel, he was more communicative; not that he distrusted the citizen of
the Granite State, but that he knew him to be a man of unusual
resources, could the proper spirit be aroused within him.

"_Bien_, Etooelle," he said, when the inspection was ended, "much will
depend on the use you make of these two guns."

"I know that, as well as you do yourself, Captain Rule," answered the
other, biting off at least two inches from half a yard of pig-tail;
"and, what's more, I know that I fight with a rope round my neck. The
spiteful devils will hardly overlook all that's passed; and though it
will be dead ag'in all law, they'll work out their eends on us both, if
we don't work out our eends on them. To my mind, the last will be the
most agreeable, as well as the most just."

"_Bon!_--Do not throw away your shot, Etooelle."

"I--why, Captain Rule, I'm nat'rally economical. That would be wasteful,
and waste I set down for a sin. The only place I calculate on throwing
the shot, is into the face and eyes of the English. For my part, I wish
Nelson himself was in one of them boats--I wish the man no harm; but I
_do_ wish he was in one of them very boats."

"And, Etooelle, I do _not_. It is bad enough as it is, _entre nous;_ and
Nelson is very welcome to stay on board his Foudroyant; _voila!_--The
enemy is in council; we shall soon hear from them. Adieu, _mon ami_;
remember our two _Republiques!"_

Raoul squeezed Ithuel's hand, and entered his boat. The distance to the
ruin was trifling, but it was necessary to make a small circuit in order
to reach it. While doing this, the young mariner discovered a boat
pulling from the direction of the marinella, at the foot of the
Scaricatojo, which had got so near, unseen, as at first to startle him
by its proximity. A second look, however, satisfied him that no cause of
apprehension existed in that quarter. His eye could not be deceived. The
boat contained Ghita and her uncle; the latter rowing, and the former
seated in the stern, with her head bowed to her knees, apparently in
tears. Raoul was alone, sculling the light yawl with a single hand, and
he ex